USA: BOXING - Boxer Gary Russell Jr is the USA's best hope for a boxing gold in Beijing

Record ID: 329346

  • Title: USA: BOXING - Boxer Gary Russell Jr is the USA's best hope for a boxing gold in Beijing
  • Date: 25th June 2008
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) GARRY RUSSELL SR. SAYING "Most definitely I would love for my mother and father to be there. Worst case scenario they don't get a chance to go. I understand. I still have a job to do." (SOUNDBITE) (English) GARRY RUSSELL SR. SAYING "We have about two more months to get everything we need."
  • Embargoed: 10th July 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA6TWNBRK0R43KVGKCZA4ZGRXMO
  • Story Text: Bantamweight Gary Russell Jr. is headed to Beijing and as the oldest of five boxing brothers, he may be the start of a dynasty.
    Gary Russell Jr. is the United States' best hope to take home a boxing gold medal at the summer Olympics in Beijing. The bantamweight was trained by his father, along with five younger brothers, in the family's basement in a crime-ridden neighborhood on the outskirts of the US Capital.
    The United States, which dominated Olympic boxing throughout the 70's and 80's with stars like Sugar Ray Leonard and Roy Jones Jr. has become an afterthought with the resurgence of Cuba, Russia and other powerhouses. Of the 88 boxing medals awarded at the last two Summer Games, Americans have come away with a meager six . The only gold medal was won by Andre Ward, a light heavyweight in 2004.
    Russell Jr has exceptional speed. He qualified for the Olympics by defeating fellow 2005 World Championships bronze medalist Ali Hallab of France, 22-14 at the 2007 World Championships in Chicago.
    "I never wanted to be a world champion. I always wanted to be an Olympian. I thought it was much more prestigious than being a world champion," Russell Jr told Reuters.
    On a recent visit back home from his training camp at the USOC headquarters in Colorado Springs, Russell Jr he was back in a run down gym getting some final preparations from his father who can't afford to be with him in Colorado.
    "When he was just a wee little thing we used to put him in the ring and let him shadowbox and he would open up shows for the amateur boxing programs that we had and he thought it was a good proposition because people would give him money. At that point you could tell that he was basically a phenom because of the way he would throw his punches and the way he would turn.There was always a certain professionalism about him," his father explained.
    Russell Sr. has four golden gloves champions under his roof. Today his 18-year-old son Allan is training in the ring with Gary.
    The 5'3" 118 pound Russell Jr. has a determined poise. As he looks at the ring in the basement of a shabby strip mall he talks of a "switch" going off when he enters the ring.

    "That's my house. You're not going to let anyone come in and throw trash on the floor and jump up and down on your sofa and that's how I feel about that ring. That's just how it is. I turn into a complete different person. I'm dedicated and I'm hungry," he says.
    Due to the high costs of travel and housing in Beijing, Russell Jr's' parents are struggling to raise the funds funds to see their son compete on the Olympic stage. Bake sales, fish fry dinners, tee shirt sales, and other fund raising activities are constantly being staged to make make their Olympic dream a reality.

    "Most definitely I would love for my mother and father to be there. Worst case scenario-they don't get a chance to go. I understand. I still have a job to do," Russell Jr says.
    With more boxing prospects in the pipeline, if Gary Russell Sr does not see his son fight in Beijing, he may yet get his chance to see a son fight for the gold.

    "The next Olympics are supposed to be in London and my 15-year-old and my 18-year-olds are already talking about standing on the podium there."
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