By Tom Donelson / Author, Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA)
Gary Russell Jr. won every fight but one that proved to be his defining loss, to Vasly Lomachenko and faced the undefeated Filipino Mark Magsayo this past January 22nd. Gary Russell has not fought in two years and in the first round, Magsayo nailed Russell with upper cut with a minute left and landed a few good solid combination,. On my card, Magsayo won the first round with his power shots in the last minute.
Magysayo power shots looks to be taking control of the second round and muting Russell own outputs. Magysayo started the third round moving forward and put Russell back on his heels but in the last minute, Russell attempted to jab his way into Magsayo body, but he looked smaller than his opponent. After three rounds, Magsayo was up on my card three rounds to zero.
Magsayo hurt Russell early in the fourth round with a right, but Russell survived and Magsayo size and power bothered Russell. Russell also looked to injure his left shoulder. After four rounds, Russell appeared to digging a hole on the score card. After four rounds it was 40-36 for Magsayo.
The fifth was like the rest as the bigger Magsayo looked to dominate the fight more as Russell left hand kept coming up short. Russell didn’t throw a jab in the sixth round and every round including the sixth round Magsayo had landed more punches. Showtime Farhood had it 57-57 but I had It 60-54. Compubox had Magsayo landing two punches for every one for Russell.
Seventh round saw Russell pot shotting his left hand on occasion but Magsayo still landing the more powerful punches in my view, a closer round but still gave it to Magsayo 70-63.
Russell left hand most effective of the fight and he may have taken the round with four good left hands. 79-73. In the ninth round, Magsayo abandoned his left and throwing right against Russell and Russell is connecting more with his left Magsayo threw a bunch of punches at the end of the round. I had it 88-83 in favor of Magsayo and Farhood had it 87-84 in favor of Magsayo. We disagreed on rounds but not the fact that after nine rounds, Russell championship was in jeopardy.
Russell played defense and forced Magsayo to miss some big shot, but this round favored Magsayo as he connected on the more powerful punches. Now it is 98-92 going into the final two rounds, but it is obvious Russell shoulder is bothering him and he is a one arm puncher.
Magasayo did all the offensive work in the eleventh as Russell played defense and potshot with his left hand – I had it 108-101. Magsayo won the final round and closing any shot for Russell to win but by knockout. Russell shows great defense and landed some left hands but it was not enough. He won the last round but not the fight. 117—111 for Magsayo.
The judges had it 114-114, 115-113, 115-113 in favor of Magsayo. Two of the judges had the right winner and Russell had injured shoulder that hampered his fight, but it doesn’t change the fact that he lost the fight nor did I have it close. Compubox told a story of a one sided fight and you look punches landed per round, there wasn’t a round in which Russell even outlanded Magsaya. For Magsaya, this was a step forward and maybe a new star in boxing was born.
I had Magsayo by 4. Solid fighter.