Gary Russell Jr.’s Davis Callout: What Followed

September 17, 2024 455 Views by

In September 2024, former WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr. publicly called out Gervonta “Tank” Davis, but the proposed fight was never made. Davis later fought Lamont Roach to a majority draw, while Russell returned after a long layoff to stop Hugo Castañeda in 2025. PBC’s Davis-Roach result and its Russell-Castañeda report document the later bouts.

The Challenge

Russell had not fought since losing his WBC featherweight title to Mark Magsayo in January 2022. His comeback came against Hugo Castañeda in July 2025, not Davis. Russell stopped Castañeda with a body shot 26 seconds into Round 10. PBC’s report records the finish.

Tale of the Tape

Gary Russell Jr.

  • Former WBC featherweight champion
  • Known for his exceptional hand speed
  • Experienced veteran with a strong amateur background

Gervonta Davis

  • Multiple-division world champion
  • Was undefeated at the time of the 2024 callout; later fought to a majority draw
  • Renowned for his devastating knockout power

Potential Matchup Analysis

As a hypothetical matchup, Russell’s speed and technical boxing would have contrasted with Davis’s power and counterpunching. The stylistic discussion remained speculative because the fight was never booked.

Weight Class Considerations

Weight was a consideration when Russell called out Davis: Russell had held a featherweight title, while Davis was competing at lightweight. Russell later boxed at lightweight against Castañeda in 2025, but no Davis-Russell bout was booked.

Fan Reaction

The callout drew coverage and fan speculation, but no official booking followed. Russell and Davis have not met in the ring.

What’s Next?

Davis’s next bout after the callout was against Lamont Roach on March 1, 2025. Their WBA lightweight title fight was ruled a 12-round majority draw, with one judge scoring 115-113 for Davis and two scoring it 114-114. PBC’s official bout record lists the result.

The Davis-Russell matchup remains unmade. Russell’s camp was reported to be in talks about a possible fight with Shakur Stevenson in September 2026, but no bout had been announced. Bad Left Hook reported the discussions.

Citations:
[1] https://box.live/boxers/gary-antuanne-russell/
[2] https://www.reddit.com/r/Boxing/comments/15p4pna/me_and_tank_would_be_fireworks_gary_antuanne/
[3] https://www.boxingscene.com/forums/boxing-forums/non-stop-boxing/32355012-comments-thread-for-gary-russell-jr-nominates-himself-to-fight-gervonta-davis
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9tmdF1xBOU
[5] https://box.live/fights/davis-vs-russell-jr/
[6] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjfT-8AtGmw
[7] https://www.dazn.com/en-US/news/boxing/gary-russell-jr-names-the-fighter-who-would-beat-devin-haney-and-gervonta-davis/1qvj9ytp6cxen1muzwwjdozgun
[8] https://www.ringtv.com/fighters/gary-russell-jr/
[9] https://www.premierboxingchampions.com/bouts/344555
[10] https://origin.premierboxingchampions.com/gary-russell-jr-vs-hugo-castaneda

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by Oscar Madison - Sep 17, 2024

by Oscar Madison - Sep 17, 2024