An Olympic standout who won his first 17 bouts inside the distance, Russell (18-1, 17 KO) has sadly inherited his brother’s rate of activity, competing just three times in the last three years. After dropping a narrow decision to Alberto Puello in a bid for the interim WBC title, Russell jumped right into a WBA title bout against Jose Valenzuela last March, outclassing “Rayo” to claim his first championship belt.
Hiraoka (24-0, 19 KO) share’s Russell’s high-octane approach inside the ring and slow-motion movement outside of it, likewise fighting three times since September 2022. His most recent win was his biggest, a mauling of Ismael Barroso in September 2024.
It’s a very good, if extremely cursed matchup that should produce fireworks. It’s also very funny to me that the main event isn’t even the best super lightweight title fight on the card.
