Fight results

A fight with a clear purpose in terms of titles—Russell, despite his loss in the previous bout, was granted an immediate shot at the WBA title in the super lightweight division. But in terms of styles, it’s a puzzling choice for Team Gary.

The issue is that Russell lost his last fight to a boxer who outperformed him in pure boxing skills—avoiding big shots, countering effectively, and having enough strength to withstand Russell’s physical aggression. Valenzuela, in his previous fight (against Isaac Cruz), demonstrated that he can do the exact same thing.

On one hand, José could crack under pressure—mentally first and foremost—leading him to engage in more exchanges than he should and ultimately succumbing to Russell’s power. On the other, he presents an extremely dangerous opponent for a comeback fight.

Valenzuela is only 25, while Russell is 28. Both have already fought for world titles and secured victories over solid opposition.

Russell defeated Viktor Postol, becoming the first to stop the Ukrainian. He also handled Rances Barthelemy and gave Alberto Puello a tough challenge. Valenzuela has endured tough losses but bounced back—knocking out Chris Colbert after failing to win a decision in their first meeting.

Moreover, José pulled off one of the biggest wins of 2024 when he outboxed Isaac Cruz cleanly.

This area is evenly matched—both fighters average between 350-450 punches per bout. Valenzuela is slightly more accurate, but that’s based on overall averages from recent fights. During this stretch, José had an outstanding performance against Cruz, whereas Russell struggled against Puello.

Both fighters faced serious tests in their previous bouts. Valenzuela took the title from Cruz and handled 12 rounds of relentless Mexican pressure. Cruz never gave him a moment to rest, yet he still couldn’t break Valenzuela down.

Russell, meanwhile, suffered his first professional loss but gave his all against Puello. He attempted both to outbox and to knock out his opponent. It didn’t work out, but it was still a respectable showing from the American.

Valenzuela can hit, land, and knock opponents out. But up until recently, Russell had a 100% stoppage rate. Taking too many of his shots is a terrible idea.

José Valenzuela has two losses, one of which was by stoppage. Edwin De Los Santos knocked him out quickly—in just the third round. This time, however, he’s facing an even harder puncher.

That doesn’t necessarily mean he has a weak chin—it was just a particularly bad night for the Mexican. Still, nobody can afford to take clean shots from Russell.

Gary, on the other hand, takes punches well and knows how to evade or deflect them. His chances of getting knocked out are low—but not nonexistent.

This will be Russell’s sixth fight in Brooklyn. Every opponent he’s faced here has been knocked out. Valenzuela, meanwhile, will be fighting at Barclays Center for the first time in his career.

Bouncing back from a loss is always difficult. Russell was immediately given a title fight—and against a dangerous opponent who just secured a victory that significantly boosted his reputation.

Valenzuela is a smart and fairly technical fighter. He uses the ring well and, with the right adjustments, knows how to stay out of danger. That will be crucial against Russell.

A fantastic and intriguing matchup. Either fighter could win, and by any method. Valenzuela must refine his approach from the Cruz fight and execute even better. Russell, on the other hand, needs to put his last loss behind him and focus on what he does best—cutting off the ring and securing an early finish.