PLANT CITY, Florida – Should junior featherweight Gary Antonio Russell post a victory on Friday night’s ProBoxTV card, the brother of two world champions will earn a prime showdown versus recent title contender Ramon Cardenas.
Two officials connected to the situation told BoxingScene Thursday that the 32-year-old Russell, 20-1 (13 KOs), will likely gain a November bout on a Premier Boxing Champions card being eyed for Texas should he defeat Dervin Rodriguez, 11-2-1 (8 KOs), Friday on the ProBox card in Lakeland, Florida.
Russell is the sibling of former featherweight champion Gary Russell Jnr and current 140lbs champion Gary Antuanne Russell.
Cardenas, 26-2 (14 KOs), knocked down undisputed 122lbs champion Naoya Inoue in the second round of their May 4 bout in Las Vegas, only to lose by seventh-round stoppage to the undefeated four-division champion.
San Antonio’s Cardenas, 29, is the No. 1 rated WBA junior featherweight and is also ranked in the top 10 of the WBC and WBO ratings.
Cardenas’ manager Mike Miller told BoxingScene Thursday that Cardenas is angling to land both a 2026 rematch with Inoue, 30-0 (27 KOs), or pursue unbeaten bantamweight champion Junto Naktani as he moves up one division to chase an all-Japan showdown next year versus Inoue.
