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GARY RUSSELL JR.: "HE'S BEEN KNOCKED OUT BEFORE...MAYBE HE'LL GET KNOCKED OUT AGAIN"

By Press Release | March 26, 2015
GARY RUSSELL JR.:

Two days before their important fights live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT), this Saturday, March 28, hard-hitting WBC Featherweight World Champion Jhonny Gonzalez, 2008 U.S. Olympian and former world title challenger Gary Russell Jr., undefeated super welterweight Jermell Charlo and once-beaten super welterweight Vanes Martirosyan participated in the final press conference at The Pearl Theater at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

Here's what the boxers and the other participants said Thursday at Palms Resort Casino Lounge.

GARY RUSSELL JR., 2008 U.S. Olympian and former world title challenger

"I'm ready and in shape. In the ring I'm omnipresent. I'm going to change all those pictures on that belt.

"I feel the same going into this fight as I always do, and I expect the outcome to be the same as always, that I will come out on top.

"I respect Jhonny Gonzalez like I respect all my opponents. He worked hard to win the title. I have studied tape of him. I know he is going to come right after me. Gonzalez is a puncher. But I'm a good puncher too. He's been knocked out before, maybe he'll get knocked out again. 

"I can do a lot of things in the ring. Of course, my youth and speed will be keys but I have other attributes, too, like boxing acumen, ring generalship and what I call controlled chaos. I can move and punch and I'm thinking all the time in there.

"Gonzalez and Lomachenko are totally different fighters with completely different styles. Lomachenko may be a bit better overall, but Gonzalez is more of a pure puncher with power. I know Gonzalez has a dangerous left hook. But I'm totally prepared for that and everything else.

"In my fight with Lomachenko I was flat. A lot of things went wrong in camp before that fight. I allowed my conditioning coach at that time to change up all sorts of little things with me, and they wound up working against me.

"For this camp, we went back to basics with the same people I've always had. It was a great camp. You know, if it ain't broke, don't fix it and that's the philosophy all of us have again.

"I never dreamed growing up of being a world champion. My goal was to become a U.S. Olympian and win a gold medal. When I didn't, I felt I let so many people down. It was then I started dreaming of becoming a world champion.

"I get another chance on Saturday. I'm ready for it.''

GARY RUSSELL SR., Russell's Trainer/Father

"Gary's speed is going to be the difference. Speed kills.

"After the camp we've had, we expect Gary to come out and do what he knows how to do. They talk a lot about Gonzalez' punching power, but Gary can whack too, along with his overall hand- and foot-speed and overall ability.

"We went back to our old routine in training and I can tell you Gary feels a whole lot better now. He's primed for a big effort on Saturday. We all are.''

RON RIZZO, Vice President of DiBella Entertainment

"Seems to be that this fight has been lost a little been in the shuffle recently. I'm not sure why. We have a lot of big things happening within the boxing industry -- just as the University of Kentucky is dominating with their undefeated season, there's a lot of other great matchups that are involved in boxing, and this is one of them. 

"This is one I'm really excited about, and all the matchmakers I've been talking to are excited as well. 

"I think this is a bout that's really going to stand out. I don't want people to miss it. This is a really good fight. There's also another good fight with Charlo vs. Martirosyan as well. 

"I really feel the main event is an unbelievable fight that just got lost in the shuffle of big fights that are happening on network television. For me, all the matchmakers that I'm talking to… it's just one of those perfect kind of style bouts that are very intriguing. Of course Jhonny Gonzalez always makes for exciting bouts. Gary Russell is another guy who wants that title. He's ready to take it this time."

# # #

In the second half of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® doubleheader, the hard-hitting Gonzalez (57-8, 48 KOs), of Mexico City, will defend his WBC Featherweight World Title against talented once-beaten Russell (25-1, 14 KOs), of Capitol Heights, Md.

The telecast opener will match undefeated rising star Jermell "Iron Man" Charlo (25-0, 11 KOs), of Houston, against the battle-tested Martirosyan (35-1-1, 21 KOs), of Glendale, Calif., in a 10-rounder for the WBO Intercontinental 154-pound championship.

Earlier on Saturday, SHOWTIME Sports® will present the Sky Sports telecast of the IBF Welterweight World Championship between defending champion and hometown favorite Kell Brook and No. 1 challenger Jo Jo Dan live on SHOWTIME at 6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT from the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield, England. Sky Sports' Jim Watt and Nick Halling will call the action from ringside. 

Tickets for this Saturday's stacked DiBella Entertainment fight card are priced at $200, $100, $75, $50, and $25, plus applicable fees are on sale. Tickets may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or by clicking HERE. Tickets are also available online at www.ticketmaster.com.

"Gonzalez vs. Russell Jr.", a 12-round world championship bout for Gonzalez's WBC Featherweight World Title, is promoted by DiBella Entertainment. In the co-feature, Jermell Charlo takes on Vanes Martirosyan in super welterweight action. The event will take place at The Pearl Theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and will air on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT). The telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

For more information, visit www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @jhonnygbox, @mrgaryrusselljr, @TwinCharlo, @LouDiBella and @PearlAtPalms, follow the conversation using #GonzalezRussell, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.

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