The fight was first reported by BoxingScene and it took months without a firm date before it arrived here. Russell has not fought since his unanimous decision win over Jose Valenzuela, a lackluster performance that showed control and discipline over twelve rounds.
On paper, the fit seems simple. Russell entered at 18 1 with 17 kills. Hiraoka is undefeated at 24 0 with 19 shutouts. Both fish are from the south. They are both punches. The WBA gets its legal protection, and the division is still active.
The difficulty is imagining the reality of the danger of the challenge.
Hiraoka has been a professional for more than a decade, but his record is a little less clear when you look beyond the total knockout. His most famous victory remains the stoppage of Ismael Barroso that has disappeared, but another famous fight with Jin Sasaki four years ago remains the most profound thing he had. Those results show power, but nothing else.
Hiraoka had a good run so far, finishing quickly and with very few glitches. Russell brings a different kind of fight, the kind that hangs around, keeps throwing, and drags things to places you didn’t plan to visit. We have never seen Hiraoka pushed to that kind of work, where the power does not clean up and the night continues. If this gets past the first few rounds, he will quickly find out what kind of fight he actually signed up for.
This is where Russell becomes a difficult assignment. He doesn’t rely on one moment or one shot. He stays close, keeps throwing, and looks good enough to win rounds even when nothing serious is happening. His loss to Alberto Puello showed the limit, but it also showed that he still has twelve rounds. The championship win over Valenzuela followed the same pattern. Russell built the lead through consistent power and finished without giving up the fight.
This defense will not answer all the questions about Russell’s ceiling. It should be answered in a basic way. He could give his brand of fight to an undefeated challenger who wasn’t forced to stay in deep water. If he can, the belt starts to look like something he hopes to keep.