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00:00At the Springs Resort Casino here in India we have a chance to look at an up-and-coming
00:03American featherweight by the name of Gary Russell Jr. as he does battle with a 22-year-old
00:07Mexican by the name of Christopher Perez.
00:10There is a look at Perez, we mentioned earlier, he comes from the fighting town of Culiacan,
00:16Sinaloa, Mexico.
00:17That's the home, of course, of Julio Cesar Chavez and his fighting sons, a Mexican national
00:23team member for four years, Perez is 23 years old, he's had 25 fights and 14 of those fights
00:29have ended in knockout since he debuted as a professional at the age of 17, he's fought
00:36exclusively in Mexico, his last fight was in March, he had over 150 amateur fights, his
00:44trainer describes him as a very technical boxer with a lot of skill and he'll need all of it
00:50tonight.
00:51Steve, let's take a look behind the numbers.
00:56Well, Barry, for Christopher Perez, north of border, every one of Perez's 25 fights
01:02has been in his native Mexico and his opposition has been mediocre, he's only 23, is he ready
01:07for this level?
01:08Distance man, Perez has been 10 rounds or more six times, compare that to Russell who's
01:13gone as long as eight only twice.
01:15And where's the pop?
01:16Perez has 14 KOs in his 23 wins, not bad, but he scored only one KO win in his eight
01:21most recent fights.
01:27So that is a look at Perez and here is a look at Gary Russell Jr. And this is a guy that
01:32has the pedigree and the markings of a future superstar. Two times the United States national
01:37champion, 2008 United States Olympic team member, although there's a story behind that.
01:43Full set of weapons in his arsenal. He's kind of a walk-em-down kind of fighter, likes to
01:50stay in the pocket. Very quick-handed, solidly schooled, fundamentally sound. Very fast hands,
01:56very fast hands, as we said. And by the way, he is a sophomore. Very poised, very polished,
02:03and being brought along very, very carefully by his father, who will be in his corner. His
02:08last fight is spectacular one-punch knockout over the mismatch at Roberto Ruiz. That was
02:14eight months ago tonight. He comes into the ring after the longest layoff of his young
02:18career. 24-year-old Gary Russell, undefeated, looking to stay that way tonight. Steve wants more.
02:25Let's go behind the numbers. Well, Barry Repp versus Kamp. Russell's talent is unmistakable,
02:31but the level of his opposition so far has been unmistakably disappointing, at least to me.
02:36Who's the best fighter he's faced? Probably Leonilo Miranda. Not good enough. Hitting the brakes,
02:40Russell fought seven times in 2010. Six times last year. It's late June now, and this is his first
02:46fight in 2012. And one shot, speed can be power. Last time out, Barry mentioned it. Russell eliminated
02:53the veteran Ruiz with a single punch in the first round, and the Southport did it with his right hand.
02:59So that sets the stage for us. Coming up next, our main event on this special edition.
03:06That's after this fight about undefeated Gary Russell Jr. with Christopher Perez, who hopes that his first
03:12visit to the United States will prove once more to be his own springboard to success. Once more,
03:17we go to the set with Rick with the introduction of the fighters and Jake Gutierrez. Jake.
03:24Once again, ladies and gentlemen, we welcome you to the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino here in Indio,
03:29California, as we continue with Showbox, the new generation. This next bout is presented by
03:36Golden Board Promotions in association with Promociones del Pueblo and Fantasy Springs Resort Casino,
03:42and sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina, AT&T, the nation's largest 4G network, AT&T Rethink Possible.
03:52Our three judges scoring will be David Denkin, Thomas Taylor, and Fritz Werner, and when the action
03:59starts, a referee in charge, Pat Russell. This bout is scheduled for 10 rounds in the featherweight division.
04:05Introducing first, he'll be fighting out of the red corner. He entered the ring wearing green and
04:12silver, and he weighed in at 126 and a half pounds. His professional record, 23 victories, only two
04:19defeats, 14 wins by knockout. Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, he makes his United States debut. Coming
04:26to us from Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, introducing Christopher Hurrican Perez.
04:36And his corner across the ring, fighting out of the red corner. He's wearing green trimmed and white,
04:42and he weighed in at 126 and three quarter pounds. His record is perfect. 19 bounce, 19 victories,
04:5011 wins by knockout. From Capitol Heights, Maryland, he was a two-time U.S. national amateur champion,
04:58a 2008 U.S. Olympic representative. He is the WBO number 9 and IBF number 11 featherweight contender.
05:07Introducing Mr. Gary Russell.
05:11Mark, 10 rounds. All right, fellas, let's go. Boxer out. Boxer out.
05:25Okay, there's the line right up there, right at the top. There's the line right there. It's good.
05:2810 rounds. Touch him up. Good luck. Come out at the bell. Thank you.
05:31Okay, come on.
05:34Tale of the tape. We talk about Russell staying in the pocket and fighting aggressively. In fact,
05:39he has no choice because his reach is so short, he has to stay in close just in order to be in
05:44range to hit his opponent. And as was the case in our first fight, we have California rules,
05:50no standing eight, no three knockdown. Ref or doctor can stop the fight. You can be saved in the belt,
05:55by the belt only in the final round. And if there's an accident, it's a foul that brings a stop
05:59after the start of round four. We go to the cards before that technical draw.
06:10So round one, and we're going to see in a hurry what Christopher Perez brings to this dance.
06:15Because he's in there against the guy who he has not seen anyone who likes him in terms of quickness.
06:21He has been in with either one or two southpaws in the past, depending on who you listen to.
06:33If you listen to him, he says two.
06:38Amateur experience. When are 150 fights not 150 fights? Well, in the case of Russell,
06:45of course, he was a U.S. national amateur champ. Maybe the Olympic team didn't fight.
06:48Barry will get into that a little later. And as far as Hernandez is concerned, well,
06:52excuse me, Perez is concerned. He was on the national team of Mexico, but not much international
06:58experience. And the point that you made about Gary Russell is that he likes to stay in the pocket.
07:05That was a good, reasonably good kind of right hand from Christopher Perez when he did try to step in.
07:10Nice right hand. Came behind a double left jab.
07:20Hand speed is something you can't teach. You either have it or you don't.
07:24Well, he was born with it.
07:32Good right hand, left hand rather, by Russell. That was a counter punch.
07:36Yeah, exactly right, because he did get hit by a left hook.
07:40Well, this fight going technically and strategically as we thought it would with Russell,
07:46the shorter guy, trying to make the fight and cut the distance down for us trying to box more.
07:51Yeah, and you made the point earlier, talking about him staying in the pocket, which he does,
07:54but there's a very good reason for it. 60, I think it was 61, maybe 62 inch reach or 63 and a half.
08:01Yeah, just whatever. He's got short arms. Yeah, that's the point.
08:11Yeah, a double left hand, left to the body, left to the head.
08:14It was interesting, wasn't it, Barry, when Russell was talking to us about putting his full weight into his punch.
08:35Took a left hand for Perez there.
08:39Yeah, he wants all 126 pounds behind every punch.
08:43He studies the mechanics of punching to try to, uh, try to manage that.
08:47Yeah, he seems to be a great student of the game. He, when he was a kid, he used to watch the greatest
08:52knockouts, and he talks about guys we were talking about, asking him about who he grew up
08:57admiring, and he mentioned Ray Robinson. I said, do you mean Ray Leonard? He said, no, Ray Robinson.
09:05And all of that said, not a bad first drop from Perez either. I don't think he won it, but he was competitive.
09:09Yeah, he landed a couple, two, three, really good shots.
09:15Okay, look, runs a little bit, a little too tight. You ain't getting up on the bottom,
09:19you're hooked because you're not committed with your grip. Okay? You got to double the J.
09:25You hear me? Move behind the J. Well, we had a chance to talk to Gary Russell Jr.
09:30about his strategy for this fight against Perez. Here's what he had to say.
09:37He's used to actually fighting shorter opponents, guys that's, um, going to pursue the action.
09:43He's used to fighting backwards, so we want to kind of take him out of his comfort zone.
09:47We're not going to, uh, take the initiative as far as, uh, pursue him. We're going to post in the middle
09:53of the ring. We're going to make him have to exchange with us. He don't have, we don't feel as though
09:56he has my punching ability or my speed to actually sit in the middle of the ring and go blow for blow.
10:03With that, we come to round two.
10:05Gary Russell Jr. with the fringe on his green promise. Christopher Perez with the silver sparkles on his.
10:20Combination again by Russell, led to the right hand, came to the left, got a little off balance there.
10:24I found that, uh, that quote, uh, very interesting from Russell in between lines.
10:32And I think he's kind of fighting that fight. He's staying in the pocket, moving forward,
10:35but not necessarily initiating the action.
10:39And on the other hand, Perez looking to counter punch, but Russell's not giving him a lot.
10:44But the counter punch effectively, of course, you have to know where the punch is coming from.
10:51That's not easy to do against Gary Russell. Yeah. And it's a lot easier to do when you
10:54only throw one punch. And Russell hardly ever throws just one punch.
11:07Christopher Perez not really cutting the same cloth as a lot of, uh, Mexican fighters,
11:11and particularly fighters from Kuyukhan. A little bit tactical fighter.
11:18As he's playing a sort of tactical boxer.
11:22He does not remind you of Julio Cesar Chavez.
11:24He does not.
11:30Well, Perez's style here is really forcing Russell to, to throw very few punches.
11:38In the first round, Russell threw only 38.
11:41Not much of an output.
11:43But Perez with his body type, tall guy.
11:47Kind of skinny arms. He's not going to be an infighter like Chavez was.
11:50He's going to be an outside fighter.
11:53It's tough to be faster.
11:54Covered out better timing than the guy Russell.
11:56That's his problem right now, Perez.
11:59We've talked often, right?
12:01Right hand by, by, by,
12:03first by Perez.
12:04And then Russell back with a combination of drops.
12:06Five, six, seven, eight.
12:12Come in.
12:13He's still wobbly, I think.
12:15I'm not sure his legs are all the way back yet.
12:18Gary Russell is a natural lefty, but it was his right hand to produce that knockdown.
12:23Another big right hand on the top of the head.
12:29Did you see that expression from Perez?
12:32I did, Perez.
12:34And another left hand, and Perez in trouble again, back on his bike.
12:37There, Russell is a heavy-handed here.
12:44You can even hear it in your ear.
12:47You're right, and when you back there in the hand speed, it's pretty scary what he can do.
12:57Look at the body here against Perez.
13:01Perez does seem to be back now at the end of the second round.
13:07He called.
13:26Action from round two.
13:30It was a 10-8 round for Gary Russell.
13:34from round two. It was a 10-8 round for Gary Russell.
13:37Here's why.
13:39Just like Barry said, it was a counter combination,
13:42left hand, right hook,
13:43that put the Mexican on his butt.
13:46Here it is again. Watch Perez lead.
13:51It was a decent right hand by Perez,
13:52but nothing like what came back.
13:54Round three. Round three, mouthpiece.
13:56And I'll tell you, Barry, if Perez doesn't have
13:59something meaningful really soon,
14:01he's just gonna get steamrolled.
14:02Yeah. Bucks.
14:03It's gonna make Russell a lot braver.
14:06We talked about the fact that, and both of us,
14:08and I'm sure a lot of observers,
14:10would like to see Russell take that next step up.
14:16And the reason we do is because he has this
14:18incredible natural ability.
14:21And the left hand knocks Perez through the ropes.
14:24Three, four, five, six, seven.
14:30Hey, come here. You all right?
14:32Okay, you're gonna have to show me something.
14:33Bucks.
14:37That was just the left hand and knocked it down.
14:38Just that simple.
14:40There's a right to the body and a left of the head again.
14:45And a combination drops in once more.
14:48Two, four, five, six, seven, eight.
14:54Hey, come here.
14:55You okay?
14:56One more shot and we're out.
14:58Bucks.
15:01Long way to go.
15:02Two minutes remaining here in the third round.
15:05Fly out.
15:08Perez's corner right next to it.
15:09They were thinking about telling their man to stay down.
15:12Oh, he is clearly out in class, Gary.
15:17He tried, I got to say that.
15:23Russell doing nothing to dissuade the talk that he
15:25may be the best prospect in any division,
15:28let alone a featherweight division.
15:29Yeah.
15:31Well, you can see why he might score some one-punch knockouts.
15:33Because his hand speed is so incredible.
15:34People don't see the punches coming.
15:35He knows you're the ones that hurt you.
15:41And there's a right hand that drops him again.
15:43That's it.
15:44It's over.
15:45So just like that, it is over.
15:48And I guess what's to prove is that he does have some pot.
15:54He remains undefeated.
15:56He's done nothing to change anybody's opinion,
15:59but that he's not an outstanding prospect.
16:02But it's time for him to step up.
16:04Yeah, Perez just didn't have anything to give him.
16:07And Pat Russell, one of the best refs in the game.
16:10It wasn't that Perez was that hurt by that last knockout.
16:12He easily could have let the fight go on.
16:13But he knew there was no point.
16:15And he told him after the second knockdown, one more, and it's over.
16:19Too much Gary Russell Jr. is basically the bottom line here.
16:26But you want to see him tested, Barry.
16:28You have to want to see him tested because he's so good.
16:31And what he does do, it doesn't matter against the guys who's fighting.
16:35He does have a tendency to drop his hands defensively.
16:38And I want to see him get hit and see what happens.
16:41Well, we were talking off camera before.
16:42The last thing you want to see Gary Russell do is develop any bad habits
16:45because he's winning so easily.
16:47And he does have focus, I'll say that.
16:50But he's talking about moving up.
16:52Maybe I would think by the end of the year,
16:54he will be a legitimate top 10 featherweight.
16:58I hope so because he is a very impressive young guy.
17:01Here are the numbers on show stats.
17:03Well, one for 48, Jeff, from Perez.
17:07And the power shots he landed, three or four of those were in the first round.
17:11They had no effect whatsoever on Russell.
17:13Russell landing 55% of his power shots.
17:17They come fast.
17:18They come in bunches.
17:19They come furious.
17:21So this one, simply no contest.
17:23There's Gary Russell, Jr., three knockdowns in the third round.
17:28And that was it.
17:29And he had a knockdown in the second round, too.
17:31So four knockdowns in a very short space of time.
17:34And Gary Russell, Jr. beating an outman, Christopher Perez.
17:37And running his record now to 20-0.
17:42So a very nice win for him.
17:45But, again, you want to see him move up.
17:47And he remains exactly as he was before this fight.
17:50And that is very, very bright prospect.
17:53Nothing to change our minds about that.
17:55And, hey, we need a young American star in this game.
17:58And this is as good a prospect as anybody.
18:01No question about it.
18:02Once more, we'll take it to the center of the ring.
18:04Jake Gutierrez will make this official.
18:07Ladies and gentlemen, a referee Pat Russell stops this contest at 1 minute 41 seconds of round number 3.
18:19The winner by knockout victory, he is still undefeated, Mr. Gary Russell.
18:27It's out, Gary Russell, Jr. An impressive win.
18:36Four knockdowns. Here was the first one.
18:38Speed is power.
18:41Russell lets his hands go. It's not like he's slapping.
18:43And then round 3 saw three more knockdowns.
18:46Well, you know, because he led with the right hand, Perez never saw the left hand coming.
18:52And that's just, at this point, Perez was a young kid who looked scared.
18:55He looked like he was driving in the blizzard without windshield wiping.
18:57And Pat Russell very wisely after that third knockdown, fourth overall.
19:03That was probably the least damaging knockdown.
19:05Pat Russell said that's enough.
19:07Wise call by the referee.
19:08Yeah, I'll say.
19:09I mean, Gary Russell, for a little guy, he really packs a very powerful punch.
19:13And on top of which, he throws all his punches in combinations, which makes it that much difficult,
19:18makes him that much more difficult to fight.
19:20I mean, this guy's got a huge upside.
19:22No doubt about it.
19:24And it is time now for our main event of the year.