Gary Russell Jr. Ended His Long Layoff With Four Knockdowns
Gary Russell Jr. stopped Hugo Castañeda twenty-six seconds into the tenth round on July 19, 2025. The former featherweight champion returned at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas after more than three years outside the ring.
Fast hands quickly erased doubts about the layoff
Russell looked sharp from the outset, using his speed and accurate punching to control the exchanges. He dropped Castañeda twice in the second round, establishing a substantial early advantage.
The visitor recovered and continued competing, but could not consistently prevent Russell from finding openings. Another knockdown arrived in the sixth, further extending the former champion’s control of the lightweight contest.
A fourth knockdown finished the final round early
Russell attacked the body at the start of the tenth and final scheduled round. The decisive shot put Castañeda down again, ending the contest before a decision became necessary.
Nevada’s official results recorded a TKO at 0:26. Russell’s fourth knockdown of the night therefore completed a successful comeback through a stoppage rather than a full-distance verdict.
The return followed a difficult championship ending
Russell’s previous appearance had been a majority-decision defeat to Mark Magsayo in January 2022, costing him the WBC featherweight championship. He returned at lightweight and improved his professional record to 32–2 with nineteen knockouts.
The performance added a new chapter after a long reign at 126 pounds. Against Castañeda, the combination of hand speed, repeated knockdowns and a finishing body shot showed that Russell could still produce decisive offense following the extended absence.
Sources
- PBC: July 19 venue, four knockdowns and body-shot finish
- Nevada commission: Gary Allen Russell Jr. and official tenth-round TKO
- The Ring: long layoff, lightweight return and Magsayo defeat
