Dazn Boxing: Russell Outguns Hiraoka, Declares Himself Best as Stevenson Looms
On a high-profile dazn boxing pay-per-view card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Gary Antuanne Russell defended his WBA 140lbs belt against Japan’s top-ranked contender Andy Hiraoka, a fight that underscored Russell’s belief that he is the best in the division and set the stage for potential future megamatches.
Dazn Boxing undercard spotlight: Russell vs. Hiraoka
Russell, 29, entered the T-Mobile Arena defense with an 18-1 record and 17 KOs, while Andy Hiraoka arrived undefeated at 24-0 with 19 KOs. Hiraoka, a 28-year-old southpaw who has won 10 straight bouts by knockout, had been the mandatory WBA contender since his knockout of Ismael Barroso in Tokyo in September 2024. Travel complications delayed Hiraoka’s departure from Japan, a hold-up that was ultimately resolved after intervention from diplomatic channels.
Russell’s case for being the best in the division
Fresh off a prominent spot on the DAZN pay-per-view card, Russell used the spotlight to argue that his development and power set him apart from peers. He framed his performance and rare power as the basis for declaring himself the best in the division, while acknowledging that he still has more to show. Russell stressed the need to stay flexible in the ring, using a metaphor about being a diamond that shines from all sides, and said he will prepare for whatever Hiraoka brings.
Hiraoka’s credentials, visa delay and mandatory status
Hiraoka’s path to this title shot included a notable knockout of Ismael Barroso in Tokyo that elevated him to mandatory contender status for the WBA. The southpaw’s run of 10 consecutive knockout wins made him a dangerous challenger despite travel disruptions; Russell explicitly rejected the notion that those travel issues made Hiraoka a diminished foe, calling it foolish to underestimate him. Russell also thanked the embassy that cleared Hiraoka to travel, noting that without that green light he would not have had an opponent for the scheduled defense.
Card context: Stevenson, Hitchins and undercard implications
The same card featured notable names that frame Russell’s ambitions. Unbeaten four-division champion Shakur Stevenson had joined the crowd after a unanimous decision triumph over ex-two-division titlist Teofimo Lopez Jr. on January 31, and Russell noted Stevenson’s rise, saying Stevenson has come up to 140 and is ranked among the top three pound-for-pound fighters. Richardson Hitchins was also on the card, defending his junior welterweight title against Mexico’s Oscar Duarte, underscoring the depth of competition on the event.
Past setbacks, future matchups and pragmatism
Russell’s backstory includes an early setback: he lost to eventual junior-welterweight gold medalist Fazliddin Gaibnazarov at the 2016 Summer Games. That amateur history also ties him to Stevenson—Russell was a U. S. Olympic teammate and sparring partner with Stevenson, a silver-medalist and fellow east coast fighter—making a future Russell–Stevenson matchup a natural talking point. Russell framed a potential fight with Stevenson as the kind of bout that would elevate him to the position he feels he deserves, saying that beating Stevenson would shake up the sport. When asked for specifics on how he would win such a fight, Russell declined to lay out a game plan but vowed it would be a great contest.
Short-term focus and lingering uncertainties
Russell was candid about priorities: despite having many opponents he wants to face in the future, he said those fantasies must be put on hold while he deals with the present challenge. He warned that Hiraoka has not yet faced anyone like him and that the challenger should be prepared. Plans that had been in motion to stage his fight versus Hiraoka in 2025 were previously shuttered by the legal problems of another fighter, Gervonta Davis, a disruption Russell referenced when discussing the bout’s path to the ring. Recent updates indicate the matchup proceeded after visa issues were resolved, but other scheduling details remain unclear in the provided context.
