Jaron Ennis had his way with practically everyone in the amateurs. His combination of power, speed, and endurance was deadly. So much so that essentially no one had an answer for it. Well, except for Gary Antuanne Russell. All three of his amateur losses came at the hands of Russell. Ennis did manage to pick up a win against him but he was still forced to accept that Russell had his number.
In the pro game, both fighters have punished the competition. Ennis (31-0, 28 KOs) uses every trick in the book to clown his opponents before cruising his way to a unanimous decision victory or a knockout win. Russell, on the other hand, doesn’t play with his food. From the moment the opening bell rings, he gets right to work, often torturing his opponents until they scream no mas.
It’s been a long time since they faced one another. And, to a large extent, both fighters have gotten better. Although Russell (17-0, 17 KOs) is viewed as a highly-ranked contender at 140 pounds, Ennis is considered the next pound-for-pound star.
Gary Russell Jr., Antuanne’s older brother and former WBC featherweight champion, has no choice but to admit that Ennis’ star is burning a bit brighter than his younger brother. Still, if you think Ennis has what it takes to even the score in the pros, you have another thing coming.
“Hell yeah,” said Gary Russell Jr. to MillCity Boxing when asked if he believes his brother still has what it takes to beat Ennis. “The cheat code is in our creed.”
The storyline is already there but a few measly pounds separate the two from getting it on. When last seen, both fighters were busy putting on a show. Ennis proved that Roiman Villa’s nonstop pressure was inconsequential, stopping his man in the championship rounds just a few months ago. As for Antuanne, it was another routine knockout win with Kent Cruz becoming his latest victim.
Given the gap in weight between them, Gary Russell Jr. doesn’t expect them to square off in the immediate future. Meaning, it’ll be quite some time before they settle things for good in the ring.
“That would be down the road. That would be down the road. I can see something like 2-3 years.”