Gary Antuanne Russell defends Andy Hiraoka performance following controversial title defense

WBA champion Gary Antuanne Russell defends Andy Hiraoka’s elite level after their controversial Feb 21 fight, claiming Hiraoka was avoided by top names for years.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 3, 2026, 4:21 PM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Boxing News 24

Defending the Mandatory Challenger

Gary Antuanne Russell moved quickly to address the divided reaction following his successful WBA junior welterweight title defense against Andy Hiraoka. Although the official scorecards favored Russell by unanimous decision, a significant segment of the boxing community expressed the belief that Hiraoka had done enough to secure the win. In response to the backlash, Russell utilized social media to highlight Hiraoka’s long standing status as a high level threat at 140 pounds, asserting that the challenger would have dominated other top names in the division, including Teofimo Lopez and Subriel Matias.

Addressing the Scoring Debate

The controversy surrounding the decision centers on Hiraoka’s ability to land the cleaner, more impactful shots throughout the encounter. Observers noted that the challenger’s left hand repeatedly forced the champion to circle out or initiate clinches to reset the pace. Despite these heavy exchanges, the judges’ scorecards did not reflect the visual of Hiraoka pushing the action. Russell maintained that the difficulty of the bout was a testament to Hiraoka’s ability rather than a sign of a declining performance on his own part, pointing to Hiraoka’s five year tenure as a WBA mandatory.

Logistics and Fighter Readiness

The discussion regarding the fight's outcome has also touched upon the physical toll taken on the challenger. Hiraoka traveled from Japan for the title opportunity, managing a significant time zone shift in the days leading up to the event. While some fans speculated that a fuller adjustment period might have sharpened his timing, analysts noted that there was no visible drop off in his work rate or stamina on fight night. The challenger remained active and dangerous through the final rounds, maintaining a steady pace that kept Russell under constant pressure.