Gary Russell Jr. cheers up Nyambayar

Gary Russell Jr. managed to defend his WBC crown again and proved he still skillfully the best featherweight in the world,  after defeating mandatory contender, Mongolian Tugstogt Nyamabyar.

However, after the fight he took some time to cheer up his last rival, this what our proud WBC world champion commented.

“He was definitely one of the better fighters that I competed against,” Russell told a group of reporters following his unanimous-decision win. “I feel like he would give any of these guys in the upper echelon a run for their money. He was definitely good, just like a “Jo Jo” Diaz. I take my hat off to Diaz. I think if [Nyambayar] was to stay focused, once again, he would become a world champion, just like “Jo Jo” Diaz did.

“It was definitely the kind of fight I expected,” Russell said. “I knew I was fighting a tough competitor. You know, he had everything to gain and nothing to lose. He brought his physical best. We knew he was gonna be strong, but I felt like my hand speed, my ring generalship, my boxing IQ [would be the differences].

“That was exactly what happened. I kept the jab in his face. He couldn’t get past it. In the back half of the fight, I told myself I was gonna lock my hands up and start walking forward and dictating the action and pressing the action, and that’s exactly what we did.”