Russell Retains WBC Featherweight Title!

“Mr.” Gary Russell, Jr. scored a seventh-round TKO over a very game Oscar Escandon of Tolima, Colombia to keep his WBC Super Featherweight championship in the main event of the TGB Promotions card at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD. Russell was in complete control of the contest, dropping Escandon with a solid shot in the third round. The smaller Escandon tried to generate offense but was overpowered by the speed and accuracy of the champion. In the seventh round, Russell rocked Escandon with lefts and rights that sent Escandon into the ropes. Referee Harvey Dock stopped the contest at 59 seconds of the seventh. Russell is now 28-1, 17 KO’s while Escandon is now 25-3, 17 KO’s.

In a bout that ended in a crazy scene, Flint, MI super middleweight Andre Dirrell won the Interim IBF Super Middleweight title by eighth-round disqualification over Jose Uzcategui of Merida, Venezuela. Uzcategui seemed to be in control of the bout until the eighth round when, after the bell rang, Uzcategui landed a crushing left hand that dropped Dirrell face first to the canvas. Referee Bill Clancy immediately ruled the punch came after the bell and Dirrell was awarded the victory. A number of altercations took place in and out of the ring including a member of Dirrell’s corner striking Uzcategui in his own corner after the bout. Dirrell is now 26-2, 16 KO’s while Uzcategui falls to 26-2, 22 KO’s.

Former two-time world champion Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy and won a 12-round unanimous decision over Kiryl Relikh of Minsk,Belarus to become the top WBA contender in the Super Lightweight division. Relikh seemed outwork Barthelemy throughout the contest and was credited with a knockdown by referee Kenny Chevalier in the fifth round. Barthelemey would land a solid left hook to the body that dropped Relikh late in the eighth round. However, the judges saw Barthelemy winning the contest. John Gradowski scored the bout 116-110. Judge Henry Gant saw it 115-111 and Don Risher saw the bout 117-109. Barthelemy remains undefeated at 26-0, 13 KO’s and Relikh is now 25-3, 16 KO’s.