🔥 GARY ANTUANNE RUSSELL INTERVIEW! 👊 WBA Champ Talks 140 Domination & What’s Next! 🏆

🥊 THE LAST STAND welcomes WBA Super Lightweight World Champion Gary Antuanne Russell!

One of boxing’s most explosive fighters joins us to discuss his journey from feared knockout artist to world champion. After suffering the first loss of his career, Russell bounced back in championship fashion by capturing the WBA title and proving he’s still one of the most dangerous men in boxing. 🏆💥

In this exclusive interview, Gary discusses:

🔥 Winning his first world title
🔥 The lessons learned from the Alberto Puello fight
🔥 Defending his championship against Andy Hiraoka
🔥 The deepest threats at 140 pounds
🔥 Potential unification fights
🔥 Life as part of boxing’s legendary Russell family
🔥 His goals for becoming the king of the division

Can Gary Antuanne Russell become the undisputed champion at 140? Tune in and hear it directly from the champ!

🥊 Hosted by Brian Custer, Colin Custer & Alex “Doomsday” Lainez

#GaryAntuanneRussell #Boxing #TheLastStand #WBAChampion #BoxingInterview

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

You're watching The Last Stand with Brian Custer. Yes, it is the last stand. I'm Brian Custer. We bring you the biggest names in the sport. And joining me is a man who is the WBA super lightweight champion of the world. Gary Antoine Russell making his debut on the last day.

SPEAKER_01 0:24

My brother, how you doing? How you feeling, Brian Manley? I'm feeling great, fantastic, all in the above. Honestly, I'm just happy to see you. It's a blast from the past, like a reunion right now.

SPEAKER_00 0:39

Man, that that listen, that makes my heart feel real good because you know your family. The Russell's are like family to me. Um, and I got word, uh at one point, all we heard was that Tank Davis was coming back and he was coming back to fight pit bull. And then people were saying, well, no, it might be Lamont Roach in Pitbull rematch. And then out of nowhere, all of a sudden, Pitbull's people say, nah, we ain't fighting Tank Davis, and we're not doing a rematch with Lamont Roach. Gary Antoine Russell is going to be an opponent, and we're looking at August, maybe early September. So I guess the question is, how did this come about? When are we gonna see this fight?

SPEAKER_01 1:26

Honestly, I got a call and his name came about, and they asked me what I take. And I said, of course, why not? You know, um, a lot of these other fighters, they either try their best to stay away from me or they're scared of me. Either way, all love. You know, now Pit Boy is a phenomenal fighter, worthy fighter. Got all the credentials that come with it. Um, it will be an action-packed fight with me and him. You know, it'll be a great fight. I know that the boxing fans they will love it. You know, it'll be tasty through and through from round one to whenever it ends. It might not go to 12, but you know, uh, I'm still waiting for some further information about that. So I've just been staying prepared, you know. And and when will we see the fight, you think? I wish I I wish I could tell you. Like I said, I'm waiting for some further information about that. Um, I was told that I get back in touch with someone or something like that in the future. Hopefully it's sooner than later. Right now, I'm just doing my due diligence by standing in the gym, making sure that I'm in shape enough.

SPEAKER_00 2:40

I saw that uh a number of people had written about it and they described it as power versus skills. How do you describe the matchup?

SPEAKER_01 2:50

I guess you can say that a lot of people are so used to me mauling my opponents down, and a lot of people are used to seeing Pit Bull knock his opponents out, maul them down. You know, um honestly, we've always been a student of the game, me and my family. And we uh told and understand that for certain opponents, you gotta take out certain tools in your arsenal. That's it. That's so I might shock the world by just boxing and showing a little bit of boxing side of me. Because what I could do is get on my toes and I can show some old school sway, you know, and do it the right way, not just bouncing and moving around. No, I can do it the right way. Punch a box and make it look pretty, you know, be real surgical. Um, or I can do what I usually do, just meet you in the middle of the ring, you know, and break your wheel. So however it goes, it will still be a juicy fight. You know, if he do take this fight and I get um word that it's solidified and we got a confirmed date, I want to say first here, you hear from me first. I appreciate you, as a crews, aka pit bull, for being an honorable individual and taking this fight. Because you know me, I want to unify, I want to be the undisputed of my division so I can move up and catch some of these bigger guys.

SPEAKER_00 4:17

I like it. Uh that that that um did did you watch the roach pit bull fight? And was there anything you can glean from that fight?

SPEAKER_01 4:28

Did I? I was there, yes, front rope. I was there. He did a tornado spin when Pitbull caught him with a hook. It's okay. You know, he he didn't go down, but you know, it's fight, it's boxing. You're gonna come out with some some bruises here and there, yeah, sometimes, you know what I mean. Um, but it was a nice fight. I did see kinks in both of their armors and things that I could have capitalized on. Out of both guys. Oh, definitely, both guys.

SPEAKER_00 5:00

And and it's it's the reason why I say that is because it is rare when people, when fighters call out people, I can't tell you once if I've heard anybody say, I want Gary Antoine Russell. It just doesn't happen. But thank you, but we had Lamont Roach on, and Lamont Roach was the first person who said, After I fight Pitbull, I want Gary Antoine Russell.

SPEAKER_01 5:34

You think that's a fight, we'll see. I want to give you my feedback on that. All juice aside. I feel like he would just fetch it for something because my brother was on his line. I'm talking about so close, you could have smelled, you can smell what the Russell is cooking so close. You know what I mean? I'm talking extremely close on his line, and he was just not trying to take the fight. He was not trying to take the fight. So we had something on the internet that was getting, you know, tossed back and forth by as the media texts and stuff like that. He was saying some stuff about the amateur careers and et cetera. And I just left it flat out, like, hey, if you beat him, I would take your offer because now I got something to take from you. And you got a little credential in the division. He didn't lead him. And then I said to him, like the commercial with the old guy, almost had it. He got to be quicker than that. He couldn't pull it out, he couldn't, he couldn't produce, you know what I mean? So I said, uh, he's a nobody down to me. Like, he's not someone that's on my radar. I'm looking for unification fights. At this point, right now, in the way the raid is going, it's like, all right, let me just deal with people who got at least a title or a stellar uh credentials.

SPEAKER_00 6:53

Who do you and when you watch that fight? Tell me who do you think won it?

SPEAKER_01 6:57

Honestly, I think Pitbull won.

SPEAKER_00 6:59

You did, okay.

SPEAKER_01 7:01

I believe Roach, he got sucked into the crowd. You know, I don't want to talk too much about that fight, but me personally, I know what Roach can do. I done seen him do things with other fighters that were made that he did things that made the fight easy. And I don't think he did that when he was in this fight with people. You know, I feel like he just got sucked into the to the hype and the crowd.

SPEAKER_00 7:26

And so you don't see in the future uh Mr. Gary Antoine and Lamont Roach fighting.

SPEAKER_01 7:36

In due time, we'll see. We'll see. Because he was definitely on my list because he was doing a lot of talking.

SPEAKER_00 7:42

Yeah. Um talk to me about that list. Give me give me the fights that you really want that you believe will put you in the position in this sport where you deserve.

SPEAKER_01 8:01

Of course, I need Stevenson. Can't say Richard Hitchens no more because he don't have a belt. Uh TFIMOLOPES can't say him no more. He's about to compete for a belt. Uh, and now you have the guy over in UK. What was his name? If you don't mind helping me. Uh at 140. At 140. He was actually was matched up to fight our brother Pollo, but he got hurt.

SPEAKER_00 8:31

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 8:33

It champion Dalton Smith. That's what he got a belt. He got a belt. Dalton Smith. And other than that, other than any other uniform, any of the champions right now, they would get me closer to that position. Like I said, my main goal honestly was to be undisputed in this division. I'm shooting for everybody. At first, it was uh Sabril Matias, they was calling him the boogeyman. Nobody wanted to fight him. I'm like, come on over here. Ain't nobody scared you over here. Honestly, you're a foolish fighter. And then he fought Don Smith. Don Smith knocked him out, and nothing changed to his game plan. What happened is what I thought was gonna happen. Don Smith was sticking and moving, and then just line him up with two clean left hands. I run into two of them. You know what I mean? Like he he was just not thinking, he just thought he was gonna bulldoze this guy now with just brute strength. That's not boxing, that's not showing no technicality side of the the art, you know. So I was calling him out at the time because he had the belt, he stayed away from me. Uh, who else? Who else had it? Tia Fimo Lopez. He had the belt at the time, he just lost it. And Richard Hitchens, he just vacated because he went over to Zoo. So none of the champions that I was shooting for that was on my list no longer are champions or either in rehab because they got hurt, can't fight Dar Smith, Shakur Stevenson, he's about to move up. Uh allegedly I seen something on social media about him going to Zoo. I don't know how that's gonna go now. And then TFU Molope is he he they fighting for a vacant.

SPEAKER_00 10:19

Yeah, that that that Shakur fight would be really something considering you guys were like Olympic teammates. So you got the the the Olympic pedigree storyline.

SPEAKER_01 10:30

I mean, that would be that would be it would be tough, it would be tough, and honestly, I was saying, Brian, I said let it let the the the hype build up for it. Let me beat somebody that got a belt before I get mashed up with Shakur. And then the the media was buzzing, like, oh, he he sounds like he ain't ready for Shakur, he ain't this. I said, come on now, y'all down, y'all just talking out y'all behinds. Y'all don't know nothing of nothing. It's okay. It ain't the fact that I'm not ready. Been there, done that, he's a great fighter. He know that I'm a great fighter. You know, I love to see the greats fight the greats. I feel like once you climb that ladder, that's that's all you're supposed to be dealing with anyway. The greats versus the greats and the top contenders because they deserve a chance. They climbed the ladder to be the first in line to be one of the greats.

SPEAKER_00 11:21

That's how it should go. There there have been some talk of Shakur versus Devin Haney, and these guys have been maybe trying to do it at 144. Obviously, they've had some back and forth. What how do you think that fight would play out?

SPEAKER_01 11:38

I think it would be boring. Two boxers, two boxers, a long, slow chess match. I'm talking about stalemate a day. Not enough, not even I cornered you. I gadget it's gonna be a stalemate, you know what I mean. So I I honestly don't think that'll be a fight. There'll be drooling over. I wouldn't drool over that fight, you know. It'll make the money, it'll make the money. Why? Because people still will be in a uh uh unknown position. Like, oh man, I don't know how that's gonna go. Maybe Devin Haney just shocked the world with this Brian Norman put down and this and that and third, you know. So it's still an unknown factor. But Shakur, he showed himself as a paider, you know, that he can be in the pocket instead of just being defensive discipline, not getting touched at all. Ain't nothing wrong with that. There's nothing wrong with not getting touched at all. But the fighters, they they they supposed to be well-rounded, they're supposed to be able to do it all. Inside, outside, punch a boxer, the banger, you know, and then just full-fledged boxer. So the fans can always be attracted, you know. But once you just constantly run, running and running, fans be like, all right, he's a chicken, he's gonna run. Yeah, and he showed the world that hey, I got a different side to me, I can sit in the pocket. I just choose not to because I don't feel like it's the smart thing to do. So he showed his different uh uh uh variables of his style, his craft, you know. And I applaud him for that. Him moving up in weight, I feel like he would be comfortable, he would be more comfortable because honestly, off the record, Shiko was always a fat boy in the Olympics. He was the one, he was the one that, like, come on, we had to get on because you gotta you gotta stop eating, stop eating, man. You're just eating everything. But somehow, somehow, he may wait, but he'd be the one at night training.

SPEAKER_02 13:44

That's funny.

SPEAKER_00 13:46

Um, well, how how long do you want to stay at 140? When do you see yourself going up to 147?

SPEAKER_01 13:53

I honestly I'm once once you're locked in on the goal and the vision, and no one sees it but you, I feel like you can always achieve it if you're determined and driven. Me personally, what I'm getting to is if I desire to stay at 140, I can stay at 140 with no hassle. Because I can lock into being obedient. I can lock into being obedient to the point where though making 140 wouldn't strain me, it wouldn't hurt me, wouldn't take away from my strength, anything like that. Give me a time frame, give me a set date, I'm on it. That's it. And I'm always busy anyway.

SPEAKER_00 14:36

So I the one thing I like about you and obviously your brothers, y'all will fight. I mean, your brother, I remember when when the Loma fight came out, he was like, Yeah, let's get it, you know. Um do you think today's fighters say, you know what, let's be great, or is it more about a business now?

SPEAKER_01 15:00

It's more about a business than the oh shut. Don't get me rotted up. They think of business. No, I'm not mad at them, I'm not mad at them, but you're sucking the life out of the sports sometimes thinking like that. That's why I say now I I would I will reel it into if you're not a title holder, at least have a great stellar credentials. That's it. Why? Because it's not like you're unknown, it's not like you're a fighter that the fans, the boxing fans, be like, oh, he's damaged goods. I can see you beating him. You're not one of those fighters either. You're a top contender, you're someone who really still have the spunk and the name and the credentials.

SPEAKER_00 15:54

Uh, do you do you believe that people, especially at 140, um, and even heck or 135, they know how good Gary Antoine Russell is, and and is it that's why guys rarely want to get in the ring or call you out?

SPEAKER_01 16:16

It's a tough, tough lineup. It's a tough lineup, and they know it. They know it. They know it from from everybody out there at 140 right now, and I'm getting a little country. Everybody, everybody, everybody out there at 140, they know that any russell is a record to deal with. We just we just are. We just are. We dealt with a lot of people out there, and they know when people come over to our gym, they come in shape, ready, and trying to to see if they they getting better, they trying to critique their sales. Like, hey, did I surpass my last level? Because I know the rustlers, they they not only tough, but they nice, they know their stuff. They this, they that, you know, and and uh this isn't me toot my own horn. They know.

SPEAKER_00 17:16

Do you the because here here's what I'm I'm looking at 140? They've got Shakur Stevenson, Tiafimo Lopez, you know, obviously coming off loss, uh, Keyshawn Davis, uh, Richardson Hitchens, Dalton Smith, Subrio Matias, Alberto Puell at eighth, Gary Antoine Russell. I'm like, what doesn't it make sense? What are you talking about here?

SPEAKER_01 17:44

At eighth, are you kidding me?

SPEAKER_00 17:49

That's what I'm saying. Do you feel as if Gary Antoine Russell is um underappreciated, underrated? How would you describe Gary Antoine Russell?

SPEAKER_01 17:59

Both underappreciated and underrated. Like, come on now. Whenever you see me perform, it's like, okay, yeah, yeah, it's gonna be a fight, it's a match, it's gonna be entertaining, and it's not a lot of grabbing, it's not a lot of tussling, it's not a lot of uh uh elbow throwing or none of that. You know, it's a nice, clean, entertaining fight, juicy one of that. He said a juicy one, a juicy one. I'm telling you, bring your popcorn and then you go go get an extra drink on the side. I'm telling you, I'm telling you.

SPEAKER_00 18:36

What about Keyshawn Davis?

SPEAKER_01 18:38

Keyson Davis, he's a great, he's a great match, he's a great match. And I said I wanted to fight him. I said, let him get his feet wet at 140, make some noise, you know, and and if he gets in a position where Joe me and him can fight, I would take that fight. Now, people will start to systep him. Nobody wants to fight him now. And I feel bad for him because he's not doing nothing but what he's supposed to do, he's doing what he's supposed to do, and people is like they're not giving him the opportunity. That's why I said pit bull would take this. I salute you, man. You he's a gentleman's gentleman for that.

SPEAKER_00 19:18

Yeah. Well, what would be next for you after pitbull?

SPEAKER_01 19:23

Of course, I'm gonna call out somebody with a belt. Yeah, because my original game plan, my original goal is to be undisputed at 140. So hopefully by that time, Dalton Smith and uh Alberto Pollo fight. If not, I I will call out a Dalton Smith. I do something that Earl Spence did. Go over there to an uh, we have it in UK, your backyard, don't even care. That thing coming home with me taking that belt, you know. So that would be my goal after that TO FIMO LO PES fight shit happened, and I just go against the winner between them two.

SPEAKER_00 20:03

I like it. That's a great plan.

SPEAKER_01 20:04

Now, what about your brother?

SPEAKER_00 20:06

We saw him earlier this year. Do you think you think Mr. Gary Russell Jr. will fight again?

SPEAKER_01 20:11

Man, he's a savant slash magician. He he's gonna pull something out his sleeve. He he gonna do something. He's gonna do something, you know. I don't want to spoil alert, nothing. You know what? Y'all just stay tuned. Um, Antonio, my brother Antonio, he got something coming up. So right now he's in camp. He's training high. He actually, after this, that's where I'm going, going back to the gym. Uh, he's been doing this thing, grinding, you know, and I'm actually proud of him. I'm saying this uh to y'all first, because I never told him this yeah, I'm actually proud of him because a lot of the times these fighters that grind and train their behinds all for so long, they think they're gonna get a fight, and before you know it, it falls through. In other words, we we strip the life out of ourselves training, and nothing is still guaranteed, and we just gotta deal with it. Gotta bake it up and eat it, you know what I mean. And that can be depressing to the point it steals your drive, your momentum. Make you second guessing things. Um, I don't really want to do this, but discouragement has never been something that we've been raised on, so I'm proud of him for still keeping that momentum. Wow, it's good to hear.

SPEAKER_00 21:26

Yeah, that's good to hear. Um, another big fight that's coming up is uh Boots and Xander. And I know you know you know Boots very well, especially from the hammer. Give me your take on that. What do you think?

SPEAKER_01 21:37

Man, Boots, he just gotta not pull out and get hit with a hook. I'm I'll root for Boots. Boots, I feel like he's gonna win. Why? Because he's been through some battles, he's been doing it for a longer time than uh Alexander. Was it was was Xander Zayas? Xander Zayas, right? He's been doing it longer, and I feel like as far as

SPEAKER_00 22:00

abilities boots got more his acrobats to him muscle memory is there he just got he just got more in his in his arsenal now there's a saying hard work can be talent when talent don't work hard now this young boy he trains hard he's very compact he got the goods he's hungry you know and he can he can punch a little bit he he got some punching power got some punching power got ample hand speed but what outweigh all of that is he listens and he does not deviate so when he got a game plan he making sure he's pushing that envelope boost he he he got he got that natural guy giving talent to do stuff that can't retort i think that would take the fight okay got punching power he's at the weight class that he's comfortable at he don't gotta strain himself none of that so he's gonna have more punching power but that go both ways it go both ways i'm rooting for boots because that's my man i want him to win and i believe he's gonna win but he still gotta be on point has to be on point uh another one how about errors going over to Australia and fighting Tim Zoo what do you think is gonna happen in that fight man Earl Spence is my guy of course I'm rooting for Earl Spence that's my guy I feel like they can't make him no more cool he he country Dallas you know what I mean he just chill you know when the problem become his way he assessed the landscape and deal with it humbly I like I like Earl you know what I mean he laid back and when it's time to fight he just flipped that switch that ain't gonna work uh a lot of people have been saying that due to that accident he hasn't been the same I feel like he can redirect everybody's opinion on this fight this is a great match Tim Zoo uh of course he he coming off of a loss but he can't take nothing away from him he's still a strong tough and and and and eager competitor that comes from a generation of fighting yes his father was a phenomenal fighter yeah you know and that power was definitely handed down to him because he got punching power you know um I don't know how his screws are upstairs because his losses were some traumatic losses I hope that they did the right rehabilitation for him you know rehabbing and stuff like that so it can be good you know mentally neurologically you know but uh that's still a a dangerous fight for Earl uh uh do you you you you know your brother has has so much you you guys are similar because you guys have the skills but your brother has the gift of gab that people love some people may hate I always felt like because you were such a great fighter I was like ooh he he's such a little bear cup I want him to talk more do you feel like you've finally gotten to the point where you're like you know what maybe it is time for Gary Antoine to talk my stuff here and people know I'm a classic man I'm a classic man I'm I'm smooth I'm like the the finest wine you know it gets better in time now yes they be asking me man like drag your nuts on these people man they they they can't beat you what are they gonna say to you they're gonna beat you up you're already a champion you can whoop them and you don't full a lot of these dudes already the amateurs beat a lot of these dudes and qualifies like can't nobody mess with you but go ahead and talk your shit that's beneath me man those who know know okay if they really get out of line then I I I put them in their place two ways respectfully how I articulate myself and if we was to fight I put the paws on you speaking of speaking of I'm glad you brought that up I'm glad you brought that oh Shocky Foster you son of a gun you was popping your stuff on the internet my guy now if I was to go into the Olympic training center and pull some tapes you'll be disgusted because I put some paws on he know he can talk all he wants talk and I was always being a gentleman about some things but he he didn't pop the little lead you know and get the oozing out some falsified stuff I don't know if it was for the clicks for the lights come on man don't play with me like that though he know what it is he's coming off a big win and he's talked a lot he we had just had him on the last stand and he was talking about how he wants Shakur and sparring and and and what he did to Shakur and sparring and do nothing to Shakur I sat there and watched them spar come on Brian don't get me upset over here see he's trying to why you're rowdying me up right now you know what you do in it is listen I done seen them guys back you broke it down literally I done broke these guys down literally I'm just so humble I don't need everybody don't even know our business this comes with the territory every dog has their day but I can say this I never had my day with no he had his with mine but we we we just charged to the game do you see you you because he he said he would he come as high as 140 could you ever see you two fighting yup he can play around if he wanted he can play if he want to I gotta say yeah undisputed or the proper cadentium worthy other than that fuck with me so we'll wrap this up uh let's start with pit bull yeah what what what do you want the people to know that when Gary Antoine Russell and pitbull cruise is pit bull cruise step in the ring what should they expect and what do they ex what should they expect to see and they better expect a a a great fight I don't want to talk down on pit bull because I was gonna say an ass whooping you know a good clean one like Frankie Randall versus Julio Caesar you know what I mean a classic one I'll tell old school good one hi but but but we ain't gonna go there pit bull he's a great character class AI he stay in his lane and honestly I like him as an individual I do he come get the job done smile for the cameras and keep it moving with more do you want when he get in there he give a show every time that's true it is an exciting fight you're right you're right every time you're right there should be a burner uh and and we could possibly in the future see uh Gary Antoine and Shakur Stevenson as well we could we could but listen i'm i'm I'm for all the smoke I'm for everything at 140 if you're at 140 you either my my victim or you in the way you're in the way you either gonna get overlooked or you just pray one of the two overlooked the pray like so i i don't want you or or you mind i got you crossheads radar want anything at 140 that got a belt on my list now right now and the way the momentum is going like i said i i can't make these guys fight me i can't make these guys fight me so i i gotta reel it in a reel it back just a tad bit and still have some type of diplomacy about it so i said credentials at least have the proper credentials at least have the proper credentials and and and be somebody that's worthy because the fans still deserve a juicy fight and i don't I still deserve some some courtesy to my position I'm a champion I'm a world champion Christoph I like it I like it I I I even remember at one point that we were talking about would we'd ever see Gary Antoine and Tank Davis uh get in the ring but you know obviously we got to get tank back together and you know be active uh and then I guess we can cross that road then but yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah in some cases he need to be a little more proactive in it you know yes yes absolutely absolutely yeah yeah chart it to the game yes absolutely absolutely man it's so good to see you brother and and I'm I'm I can't wait to see you in pit bulls that's like two dogs going at it you know man man class a class a was great a I'm telling I'm telling you Brian it will be a night of your life yeah one to be ahead I promise you that I love it I love it promise listen I appreciate your time uh I can't wait to see you again all the best to the family you got one of the best look one of the best families period not only in the sport of boxing but just one of the best families period man I love all you brothers man so it's so good to see the love Brian really is always a pleasure seeing you too like I said Valerie Junior yes absolutely that's what we do here folks on the last day we bring you the biggest names in the sport and at 140 you're looking at one of the biggest right there and Gary Antoine Russell thanks for watching everybody we'll see you again next week yeah