Undefeated bantamweight contender Gary Antonio Russell 18-0 (12) and former IBF 118-pound champion Emmanuel Rodriguez 19-2 (12) both want to fight again after their no contest at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California on Saturday night.
Just one punch was landed in their scheduled 12-round bout before an unintentional clash of heads brought a premature end to the bout after Rodrigue was injured. Just 16 seconds had elapsed.
The fight was billed as a WBA world title eliminator. Russell is ranked number two by the Panama-based sanctioning body while Rodriguez sits at number seven. Japanese phenom Naoya Inoue 21-0 (18) is the WBA champion and also holds the IBF belt, which he wrested from Rodriguez by second-round knockout two years ago.
The bout took place on the undercard of the WBO bantamweight title fight between champion John Riel Casimero 31-4 (21) and challenger Guillermo Rigondeaux 20-2 (13).
“It happens,” said the 28-year-old Russell who was born in Capitol Heights, Maryland but lives in Washington DC. “I was looking to establish my jab and I tried to set up a hook and he came in at the same time. It’s very disappointing.
“I was actually in camp for about four months. I prepared great for this fight. I was really looking to broadcast my talents and show everyone what’s in my arsenal. Unfortunately, the headbutt happened.
“Of course, I would like to come right back. If he can do it, I want to get right back in there with Rodriguez.”
Russell’s last fight in December also ended after a headbutt. In that bout an unintentional clash of heads with southpaw former world champion Juan Carlos Payano 23-5 (11) in the fifth round forced the fight to be stopped in the seventh frame of their scheduled 10-rounder and sent to the card. Russell won by technical decision by scores of 59-55, 59-55 and 58-56.
On Saturday night the headclash caused Rodriguez to bleed from his nose, which was enough for referee Sharon Sands to call a halt to the bout.
“I feel okay,” said 29-year-old Puerto Rican Rodriguez. “I’m a little frustrated after putting in all this work for the fight to end so quickly with nothing happening.
“With the headbutt, maybe if there was no blood, we would have been able to continue. But once I saw all the blood, I knew it was over.
“I don’t want to lose the condition that I’m in. I prepared really hard for this fight. As soon as the injury is fixed, I’ll be back in the ring and I’d like to fight Russell again.”
Rodriguez was chasing his first win in almost three years. After defeating Australian contender Jason Moloney 22-2 (18) by split decision in October 2018 he was dropped three times by Inoue in two rounds the following May. In his last outing he was unlucky not to get the not over Raymart Gaballo 24-0 (20) last December, dropping a split decision.
