"This will probably be the first and the last time you see my boys fighting in D.C. We gonna take our show on the west coast...I don't have three fighters fighting on May 20th; three of my sons are fighting that night and I don't think people understand the amount of anxiety that goes along with that," stated world-class trainer Gary Russell Sr., who talked about the upcoming clash between his son, featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr., and Oscar Escandon. Check it out!
PC: Always good catching up with you, my man. How is everything going?
GRS: Everything is going good so far. We trying to stay rooted and injury free at this point. When you're constantly loaded, certain things happen. Around the Golden Gloves time and PAL in May, it was a problem. We always dealt with some kind of injury. So we are just trying to be conscious of that and stay healthy for this upcoming thing.
PC: Obviously all three of your sons' fights are significant in its own way, but are you guys all kind of rallying around Antuanne with this being his debut?
GRS: Absolutely! We're trying to do something different with Antuanne. Instead of doing the 4-round fight, we're trying to do a 6-round pro debut. He's in the gym diligently like the rest of them. His work ethic is a little different. I think it is a little more for him at this point and he's really putting in the work. He's putting in the time and the hours.
PC: You must have extreme confidence in him to attempt to open him up at 6 instead of 4, which is the norm?
GRS: Oh, absolutely. He trains with us here and honestly, he should be able to walk through 6 rounds.
PC: The event was postponed. Any detriment to you guys or did you roll with the punches?
GRS: The only detriment was plans to leave town and things of that nature. You try and plan ahead and we figured once the fight was over, we could go ahead and do what we had to do. But I think Gary was in his feelings because he wanted his first fight to be the first one in the MGM at home. But, you know, that didn't happen. They actually have had two fights there already, so we'll be the third fight at the MGM. It's cool; hopefully everybody come out and support. They are definitely fan-friendly fighters, but there is tension here. It's there because majority of them never made it and they can't get past that. This will probably be the first and the last time you see my boys fighting in D.C. We gonna take our show on the west coast.
PC: Are you looking for something different in each individual kid, having three of them on one show, or is it just about consistency and winning?
GRS: Absolutely! They have their own personalities and their own swag and style, even when training. They still have similar styles, but its things that make them different. You can see it in their style of fighting.
PC: I asked Allen about this, any time you have three brothers in their prime on the same card, it's unprecedented. Is that something that you pay attention to or is that not a big deal to you?
GRS: No, not really. We just do what we do. I think that it was somewhat destined for things to happen in this manner. We just stay focused and stay in the gym. I was kind of excited to have the homefield here in the Nation's Capitol, but like I said, things happen. I'm excited about it though. It's going to be a lot of work that night, but we get it all over within one night.
PC: I'm sure you'll look forward to a Sunday of doing nothing because that's going to be a hectic night for you.
GRS: Yeah! It's going to be a long night for me, but we understand the seriousness of the event. Every time we step in the ring, it's serious. My mind goes back to the fight here in D.C. when the guy's son [Prichard Colon] was complaining about getting hit in the back of the head, his corner kept sending him out and, long story short, the kid slipped into a coma. I think he's still in a coma. So the anxiety and concern of them coming out healthy is something that I think about first and that will always be on my mind. I don't have three fighters fighting on May 20th; three of my sons are fighting that night and I don't think people understand the amount of anxiety that goes along with that. Being around them so much, I know their personalities and I know what to look for in each one of them. I know their strong suits and things that we have to work on. It's different levels of things psychologically that I have to deal with to prepare them.
PC: How much did working with them in the amateurs, where I'm sure they were all going at the same time at some point, prepare you for this moment in May?
GRS: Oh yeah, life experiences prepared me for this, knowing that this sport that we are into, the preparation that you put into it is to be above the rest. You try to find that ultimate level the night of the fight. It's always constant growth. You never learn everything, but just to be comfortable in your style and creative in your style and be strong. You hydrate and come in on weight and mentally focused; just the whole package. You can't accomplish that in one day. It takes a lot of practice and preparation to make me comfortable with the situation of having all three of them in there on one night.
PC: I always appreciate your time and best of luck to you and your sons.
GRS: Thank you, man. It's good talking to you.
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