Rances Barthelemy remains incredulous about being denied the opportunity to continue his bout against Gary Antuanne Russell nine months ago. Barthelemy is convinced that he could have ultimately secured a knockout victory over Russell if the fight hadn't been halted in the sixth round, following his knockdown. Despite swiftly recovering from Russell's right hook and signaling readiness to continue, referee Shada Murdaugh intervened, awarding Russell a technical knockout just 50 seconds into the sixth round. This contentious decision marked the first knockout defeat in Barthelemy's 13-year professional career.
Reflecting on the incident, Barthelemy expressed profound disappointment, describing the sensation as if the entire arena were collapsing around him. The hostile crowd reaction and the referee's decision added to the bitter experience. Barthelemy, set to face Omar Juarez in Las Vegas, believes that the premature ending robbed him of the chance to exploit his perceived advantage in later rounds, particularly in terms of body damage inflicted on Russell.
In the initial rounds, Barthelemy acknowledged Russell's aggression but sensed a decline in energy after the third round. Confident in his ability to secure a knockout, he pushed for an immediate rematch, but it did not materialize. Despite ongoing negotiations, Russell's withdrawal from the current card due to injury has fueled Barthelemy's belief in the legitimacy of the setback. Barthelemy remains hopeful for a future rematch, emphasizing his desire for a fair opportunity.
The upcoming broadcast on Showtime will feature Barthelemy's bout against Juarez as the co-feature, along with Rolly Romero facing Ismael Barroso for the vacant WBA super lightweight title in the main event. Additionally, a 12-round WBA elimination bout between Batyr Akhmedov and Kenneth Sims Jr. will open the three-bout broadcast at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
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