By Gary “Digital” Williams
The TGB Promotions/Golden Boy Promotions card that will take place on Saturday, May 19th at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD is starting to come together and the card looks like a family affair in more ways than one.
The main event, of course, is Capitol Heights, MD’s “Mr.” Gary Russell, Jr. (28-1, 17 KO’s) defending his WBC Featherweight championship against undefeated number one contender Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz, Jr. of Downey, CA (26-0, 14 KO’s). That bout will be televised live on Showtime.
Russell’s brothers — Antonio and Antuanne — have opponents for their bouts.
Bantamweight Antonio (10-0, eight KO’s) will be heading into the eight-round level of bouts for the first time when he takes on Esteban Aquino of La Romana, Dominican Republic (12-4, seven KO’s). Antonio Russell last fought on November 21st and scored a first-round TKO over Marco Antonio Mendoza in St. Petersburg, FL.
Antuanne Russell, after just five bouts (5-0, five KO’s), will also compete in an eight-round super lightweight contest against Wilmer Rodriguez of the Dominican Republic (9-2, seven KO’s). Russell is coming off a third-round TKO of Andrew Rodgers on March 21st at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY while Rodriguez lost by third-round TKO to Julian Sosa on March 10th at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn.
The Russell Family won’t be the only family competing on this card. The Aleem Brothers of Richmond, VA are scheduled to have bouts on this card. “The Chosen One” Immanuwel Aleem (17-1-1, 10 KO’s) will look to bounce back against an opponent to be determined in a scheduled 10-round contest. Aleem lost his last outing to Hugo Centeno, Jr. by third-round knockout on August 25th in Miami, OK. Older brother Moshea “The Machine” Aleem (4-1-2, two KO’s) will be in a six-round rematch against Rayton Okwiri of Nairobi, Kenya (2-0-1, one KO) The two fought on October 19th in Washington, DC and battled to a six-round split decision draw. Aleem is winless in his last three bouts (one loss and two draws).
Also on the card, Clinton, MD featherweight Cobia “The Soldier” Breedy (10-0, four KO’s) will be in his first eight-round contest against an opponent to be determined. Breedy, a native of Barbados, returns for the first time in almost a year when he won a six-round unanimous decision over Wilfredo Garriga on May 20th at the MGM National Harbor Casino.
“The Pride of Alexandria (VA)” Brandon Quarles also returns to action on this card participating in an eight-round middleweight bout against Fred Jenkins, Jr. of Philadelphia, PA. Quarles (18-4-1, nine KO’s) last fought in March of 2017 and lost an eight-round split decision to Tyrone Brunson in Philadelphia. Jenkins (10-5, three KO’s) will look to break a two-bout losing streak which includes a six-round unanimous decision loss to Isaiah Wise on September 8th in Philadelphia.