Gary Russell Jr. was able to sneak in a unanimous decision victory over Tugstsogt Nyambayar at the PPL Center in Allentown, Pa., in early February before the coronavirus pandemic proceeded to start postponing boxing events.
Getting that first win of 2020 under his belt has given the WBC featherweight champion the hunger for more — both figuratively and literally. On Wednesday, Russell posted an Instagram video warning the lightweight likes of Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, Gervonta Davis and Vasiliy Lomachenko that he's moving up to the 135-pound division once the coronavirus global crisis subsides. Just to add emphasis on how serious he is, Russell stepped on a scale and registered 143.5 pounds on the spot.
"I don't really say much but when I talk, motherf—ers better listen, pay attention to me," Russell said from inside a boxing gym, while staring directly into the camera's lens. "Devin Haney ... your father done said something and he might have got you in some s—, shorty. (1)35, I'm coming. Lil' Ryan Garcia, shorty, you could get your lil' ass beat, too. 'Tank' (referring to Davis), what's up, shorty? Like come see me."
That's when Russell walked over and registered eight and a half pounds more than the 135-pound lightweight limit as a proving point that he's capable of adding muscle.
"Stop playing with me!" Russell continued. "I'm coming to 35. It's real. Ya'll better get ya'll s— together. Quarantine about to be up. Y'all better hope this quarantine s— keep coming because when I come out, I'm coming out like a f—ing monster."
That said, Haney, the WBC lightweight champion, didn't seem impressed at all. The 21-year-old snuck into Russell's comments and wrote: "Dude been eating all quarantine & still 143 WET ... Mr. Russell too small."
Russell responded with: "@realdevinhaney 143 WET....all I have to be is 135 to meet the weight requirement for the commission to say the fights a go ... sup."
Haney later took to his own Twitter account and said: