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 title fight on the card.