Gary Russell Jr. hasn’t fought in nearly two years but he isn’t worried about ring rust.
“Not at all,” he told The Post. “I’m always training. I never allow myself to get out of shape.”
The WBC Featherweight champion will fight 23-0 Mark Magsayo on Saturday night in Atlantic City, It is Russell’s first fight since a unanimous decision over Tugstsogt Nyambayar in February 2020.
Since then, Russell lost one of his five brothers to a heart attack and his father had a foot amputated. He’s hoping his dad can still be in his corner Saturday.
“Whats life without adversity? That’s how I look at it,” Russell said.
Gary Russell Sr. has had six kids with wife Lawan Russell, and they are all named Gary.
Russell Jr. says it was about legacy and making sure the name could live on.
“I feel like he’s chosen wisely,” Russell Jr. said.
Gary Jr. is 31-1 with five successful title defenses. Gary Antonio is a bantamweight who has won 19 of 20 pro fights. Gary Allan won the 2010 National Golden Gloves at Light Welterweight and later became a cornerman for Gary Jr.
Light welterweight Gary Antuanne is 14-0 as a pro. Gary Isaiah preferred basketball to boxing. And there was Gary Darreke, who died of an unexpected heart attack at the age of 26 in December 2020.
“He was so energetic, funny, big old smile,” Russell Jr. said. “No surrender, no retreat, no matter the circumstances.”
Russell Sr. has been in and out of the hospital, losing a foot as he battles diabetes. He has been watching some of his son’s workouts on his cell phone.
“He felt like he missed enough time out of training camp,” Russell Jr. said.
The featherweight is the longest-reigning champ in boxing after he won the WBC version of the belt in March 2015 with a TKO victory over Jhonny Gonzalez.
“I love what I do,” Russell Jr. said “It’s more of a lifestyle to me than a career.”
But critics say he has only made one title defense a year and didn’t fight at all in 2021. Russell only fights opponents the WBC mandates him to battle as, he says, he keeps an eye on bigger-name opponents. One is WBA lightweight champ Gervonta “Tank” Davis. Another is former lightweight champ Vasiliy Lomachenko, the man who handed Russell Jr. his lone defeat by majority decision in their 2014 WBO featherweight title fight.
The champ admits the questions about his inactivity can be irritating at times but said he would expect criticism even he fought more.
“My father told me a long time ago you can never truly please everyone,” Russell Jr. said. “All I can do is the best I can do.”