Russell Wants Dalton Smith in

A Champion on the Hunt at 140

WBA super lightweight champion Gary Antuanne Russell is not one to sit quietly. While in Las Vegas for the Benavidez fight festivities, the undefeated powerhouse made it clear he’s on a mission to clean out the 140-pound division. With his sights set firmly on undisputed status, Russell is calling out all the top names, beginning with the man holding the IBF strap, Teofimo Lopez. “I'm looking to unify. I'm trying to be undisputed,” Russell stated plainly. “I'm shooting to be undisputed. Speaking into existence.” His confidence is brimming, as he dismissed many of his contemporaries. “A lot of these guys for real, they they're trash,” he said, before adding a simple, chilling message for the division’s elite: “Y'all better watch out cuz I'm coming.”

Dalton Smith: A UK Showdown and a Brutal Promise

While unifying the division is the ultimate goal, Russell has a more immediate and personal target in mind: Dalton Smith. With Smith’s recent fight against Alberto Puello canceled, Russell sees a golden opportunity and is issuing one of the most aggressive callouts of the year. “I'm calling out Dalton Smith. I come over to UK to whoop on that guy,” Russell declared, showing no hesitation about fighting on enemy soil. He didn’t stop there, offering a stark prediction for the potential matchup. “Dton Smith, I clean him up real quick. Clean him up. Honestly, I knock him out.” Russell also dismantled Smith’s signature win over Subriel Matias, claiming Matias was a flawed fighter ripe for a knockout. His final message for Smith was both a wish for good health and a violent promise: “I pray for a speedy recovery just so I can stick my foot in your ass.”

The Truth Behind the Shakur Stevenson Sparring Tape

Fans have been clamoring for a showdown between Russell and pound-for-pound talent Shakur Stevenson, especially after a short clip of their sparring surfaced online. When asked why he’s said that fight needs to “build up,” Russell was transparent. “It's a show side and it's a business side,” he explained. “It need to build up so everybody can tune in... so we can both have a lump sum when it comes to the outcome, financially.” He was quick to shut down any notion of fear, stating, “I'm always ready. I'm solid right now.” Regarding the “old ass sparring” footage, Russell provided crucial context. He noted the clip doesn’t show the full 12 or 13 rounds they sparred that day, nor does it show that he was in the middle sparring multiple partners to build endurance. “It didn't even look like he got out on me on that film. It was just compatible,” Russell asserted. “Like I said, he nice, but I feel like he he can't f--- with me.”

The Versatility to Beat Anyone

Ultimately, Russell’s confidence stems from a deep belief in his own complete boxing arsenal. When asked why he believes he’s the man to crack the code of a defensive wizard like Stevenson, his answer was simple: “I'm built for this.” He believes he possesses every tool necessary to win, adapting his style to what the fight demands. “I could be a pressure fighter, I could be a puncher boxer, I could be a defensive fighter as well,” he said. “I just choose to pull out... what I got to pull out to get the job done.” He pointed to his last fight against Andy Hiraoka, where he uncharacteristically used a shoulder roll, not because it was his primary game plan, but to prove a point about his deep skill set. For Gary Antuanne Russell, it’s not a question of if he’ll fight the best, but when—and he’s confident that when he does, his hand will be raised.