Gary Antuanne Russell Father: Maryland Boxer Works With Family [VIDEO]
Gary Antuanne Russell comes from a long line of boxers and after he made his Olympic debut in Rio, his father, who has been coaching him along the way, made sure he didn't get a big head.
Although Russell won his first fight, his father, also named Gary Russell along with his five brothers, made sure his mind was focused on his remaining up-hill climb.
"He said, `Man, look, don't get too excited. It's the first night,"' Russell said, according to a report by the Baltimore Sun on Monday. "It's a little sloppy, so we need to talk."
While Russell's father is understandably critical as the 2016 Olympic Games continue, he has tons of additional support from his older brother, WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr., but doesn't allow himself to compare his talent to that of his equally successful family members.
"I took it a notch ahead," Russell said. "Instead of us mirroring each other on the same level, I made the change, you know?"
Russell's father offers him tons of advise in the ring, but USA boxing coach Billy Walsh expressed concern that his fighter may get "carried away" listening to outside voices.
"I did say to him in the corner, `Get your head back in this ring, because that's not going to help you out there. It's in here that we're going to be helped,"' he said. "But that's something we talk about, and it's not a major issue, but you've seen guys get sidetracked before him."