Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela coach Robert Garcia says he doesn’t have a rematch clause for his voluntary Title Defense of his IBF Light Welterweight Belt against Gary Antuanne Russell last Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Rayo lost the battle with a wide 12-round decision by the scores 119-109, 119-109 and 120-108. Robert Garcia mentions that Valenzuela (14-3, 9 COs) said he was told that he could not have a rematch clause for the fight. He had no choice but to accept the fight with Russell without a Rematch clause.
The ‘him or nobody’ claim
Robert says Rayo told him that Russell was the only battle that would be offered to him and said, “It’s him or no one else.‘Seen backwards, Valenzuela should not have fought the battle with Russell unless the money outside this world was good.
“It was one of the evenings where it wasn’t his night. He couldn’t release and couldn’t get off. No excuses. Russell came out in an animal mode, detained, kept beating and not adjusting Rayo, ”coach Robert Garcia said IceM Sports Mediathinking about his fighter, former IBF Light Welterweight champion Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela’s loss of Gary Russell last Saturday night.
“He didn’t allow Rayo to find out. (Antuanne Russell) continued to come from one to the end, ”Robert continued. “He never stopped throwing bumps and never stopped doing his job.”
The movement that Valenzuela used so well in his victories over Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz and Chris Colbert was not there against Russell last Saturday. With the way he cut off the ring, finished and dominated from the outside, it probably wouldn’t have mattered if Rayo had moved anymore.
No Rematch clause
“When Rayo wore that battle, we told him, ‘Why that fight, Rayo? ‘The Russells have always been big fighters, and always win through knockout. It could have been someone else, and they told me, “This is he or no one else. “He said, they forced him to fight against him. Then he said, “They didn’t even get me a rematch clause.”
“You are the champion, this is your voluntary title defense. He had to be allowed to get a rematch clause, everyone did. Pitbull had a rematch clause. With Rayo, he told us, “I can’t get a rematch clause.” He signed the contract. There is nothing we can do now.
“At least he should have had a rematch clause in the contract, but they said to him,” No, there is no rematch clause. “Now there’s nothing we can do. Bons back and come back, maybe start again from the front, ”Garcia said of Rayo Valenzuela.
Last updated on 03/06/2025
