By Gary “Digital” Williams at ringside

“Mr.” Gary Russell, Jr. scored a seventh-round TKO over a very game Oscar Escandon of Tolima, Colombia to keep his WBC Super Featherweight championship in the main event of the TGB Promotions card at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD. Russell was in complete control of the contest, dropping Escandon with a solid shot in the third round. The smaller Escandon tried to generate offense but was overpowered by the speed and accuracy of the champion. In the seventh round, Russell rocked Escandon with lefts and rights that sent Escandon into the ropes. Referee Harvey Dock stopped the contest at 59 seconds of the seventh. Russell is now 28-1, 17 KO’s while Escandon is now 25-3, 17 KO’s.

In a bout that ended in a crazy scene, Flint, MI super middleweight Andre Dirrell won the Interim IBF Super Middleweight title by eighth-round disqualification over Jose Uzcategui of Merida, Venezuela. Uzcategui seemed to be in control of the bout until the eighth round when, after the bell rang, Uzcategui landed a crushing left hand that dropped Dirrell face first to the canvas. Referee Bill Clancy immediately ruled the punch came after the bell and Dirrell was awarded the victory. A number of altercations took place in and out of the ring including a member of Dirrell’s corner striking Uzcategui in his own corner after the bout. Dirrell is now 26-2, 16 KO’s while Uzcategui falls to 26-2, 22 KO’s.

Former two-time world champion Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy and won a 12-round unanimous decision over Kiryl Relikh of Minsk,Belarus to become the top WBA contender in the Super Lightweight division. Relikh seemed outwork Barthelemy throughout the contest and was credited with a knockdown by referee Kenny Chevalier in the fifth round. Barthelemey would land a solid left hook to the body that dropped Relikh late in the eighth round. However, the judges saw Barthelemy winning the contest. John Gradowski scored the bout 116-110. Judge Henry Gant saw it 115-111 and Don Risher saw the bout 117-109. Barthelemy remains undefeated at 26-0, 13 KO’s and Relikh is now 25-3, 16 KO’s.

Silver Spring, MD bantamweight Alexandru “Spartan” Marin remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over 100-fight veteran German “Panteonero” Meraz of Agua Prieta, MX in the final undercard bout at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD. Marin spent the majority of the contest cutting the ring off on Meraz and landing crisp hook shots and uppercuts. Meraz was in no danger of being knocked down but he was unable to generrate any offense. Marin won by shutout on all three scorecards, 60-54 to, raise his record to 13-0, nine KO’s. Meraz is now 55-44-1, 32 KO’s, one NC.

Gary Antonio Russell has scored a third-round TKO Jovany Fuentes of Bayamon, Puerto Rico. After a relatively close first round, Russell was able to drop Fuentes late in the second round with a solid left hook to the body followed by a right uppercut. Russell finished the contest early in the third round when he dropped Fuentes with a vicious right hook. Referee Brent Bovell stopped the bout at 22 seconds of the third. Russell remains undefeated with a record of 8-0, five KO’s while Fuentes drops to 7-9, six KO’s. Gary Russell, Jr. worked the corner of both his brothers.

Capitol Heights, MD super lightweight Gary Antuanne “The Last” Russell made short work of Joshua Ross of Monroe, LA in his pro debut. The 2016 US Olympian dropped Ross with a straight left hand midway through the first round then landed a series of shots that dropped Ross two more times before referee Bill Clancy stopped the contest at 2:25 of the first round. Ross is now 2-4-4.

Clinton, MD featherweight Cobia “The Soldier” Breedy has won the opening contest today at MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD capturing a six-round unanimous decision over a game Wilfredo Garrica of Ponce, PR. Breedy managed to land some solid shots throughout the contest but took some hard shots from Garrica at times. Breedy won the bout by scores of 59-55 twice and 58-56. Breedy remains undefeated at 9-0, three KO’s. Garrica drops to 3-7-1, two KO’s.