Gary Russell Jr Says He's '110%' in Talks to Fight Shakur Stevenson

Gary Russell Jr wants Shakur Stevenson, and he wants you to know the negotiations are real. In a social media message this week, Russell Jr said he's "110%" in talks to make a fight with the unbeaten WBO super lightweight champion, a 25-0 (11 KO) technician who most recently outpointed Teofimo Lopez on the cards. Terms, though, aren't done — and by Russell's telling, the sticking point is money.

Russell claims his camp was the first to chase Stevenson, only to be told the champion's side wanted to go another direction. Now, he says, Stevenson has resurfaced talking unification and a big fight. Russell believes Stevenson genuinely wants it, but he's not so sure about the people around him — because, in his words, the numbers on the table don't back up the talk.

The $2M Question

Russell also went out of his way to shoot down a claim from Tim Bradley that he'd turned down a $2 million purse. According to Russell, $2M was never the figure — it was never even mentioned. He took a shot at Bradley too, noting that the former champion surely negotiated hard for his own paydays against the likes of Manny Pacquiao, and that anyone who didn't would've been foolish.

That's classic Russell Jr: prickly, blunt, and unwilling to let a narrative harden without a rebuttal. Whether the public back-and-forth helps or hurts the deal is another matter. Fighters airing grievances mid-negotiation rarely speeds anything up.

Why the Fight Makes Sense

On paper, this is a strong matchup. Stevenson is one of the sport's most gifted defensive boxers, and his 11 KOs in 25 fights tell you exactly what kind of fighter he is — accurate, controlling, hard to hit. Russell Jr, a former WBC featherweight champ, brings hand speed that once belonged in any pound-for-pound conversation. Styles like these tend to make for chess matches, not shootouts.

For now, it's a fight built on intent rather than ink. Russell insists his side remains adamant about getting it done. The distance between "we're in talks" and "we're signed" is usually measured in dollars — and right now, that gap is the whole story.