The WBC announced that inactive Gary Russell Jr. (31-1, 18 KOs) will make the mandatory defense of his WBC featherweight title against Filipino Mark Magsayo on a Showtime Championship Boxing main event on January 22, 2022, in a venue to be named. Russell, 33, has defended his WBC belt five times since he defeated Mexico’s Jhonny González in March 2015. Russel has not fought since February 2020. Magsayo (23-0, 16 KOs), who is trained by Freddie Roach, is coming off a major win by defeating Mexico's Julio Ceja in August.