Gary Russell, Jr.-Oscar Escandon Featherweight Title Match Postponed

LAS VEGAS (February 28, 2017) – The featherweight championship match between Gary Russell Jr. and Oscar Escandon, scheduled for Saturday, March 11 at the MGM National Harbor in Maryland, has been postponed after Escandon was injured in training, according to Escandon’s promoter Sampson Lewkowicz.

“Oscar suffered an injury to his back in training and he’ll be ready to go in April,” Lewkowicz said. “He’s very sorry for the delay in the fight, but these things happen in boxing. He’s really looking forward to facing Gary Russell, Jr., but he wants to be completely healthy when they do meet.”

Escandon, a 32-year-old Colombian with a record of 25-2 with 17 KOs, is the mandatory challenger for Russell’s featherweight championship. Jermell Charlo defending his 154-pound title against Charles Hatley will be the co-feature on the rescheduled card.

“It’s definitely irritating,” Russell said. “But injuries happen especially when you have somebody pushing their body to the limit for a fight that is potentially life changing. It’s disappointing. It might not work out for him because I have a little more time to get ready.”

“We’re working with the venue and the network to find the earliest date that we can reschedule the show,” said Tom Brown of TGB Promotions. “I feel terrible for the fighters who have been training so hard and now have to wait. Gary is really disappointed, but he understands that injuries are all a part of the sport. But Gary will be ready to go on the rescheduled date.”

A new date for the fight will be announced shortly.