Rances Barthelemy is well aware of how his apathetic performance against Robert Easter Jr. frustrated fans three years ago.

Their 12-round split draw in April 2019 was one of the most boring bouts Showtime has televised during the network’s 36 years in boxing. Though utterly unremarkable, Barthelemy-Easter is imbedded in the minds of many hardcore boxing enthusiasts for its appalling lack of action.

Barthelemy beat Easter on judge Eric Cheek’s scorecard, 115-113, but Easter won by the same score according to judge Tim Cheatham. Judge Glenn Trowbridge scored their bout a draw, 114-114.

Cuba’s Barthelemy (29-1-1, 15 KOs, 1 NC) has won his two fights since his draw with Easter, but neither of his conquests, All Rivera or Gustavo Vittori, were nearly as dangerous as his opponent Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Gary Antuanne Russell has knocked out each of his 15 professional opponents and Gary Russell Jr.’s younger brother has emerged as a legitimate contender in the 140-pound division.

Barthelemy understands that this isn’t just likely his last chance to make a junior welterweight championship run. It is also the perfect time to atone for his poor performance against Easter in their 140-pound title fight at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

“I’m very thankful for this opportunity,” Barthelemy said during an open workout Wednesday at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn. “I fought a bad fight in 2019 against Robert Easter and now it’s time for me to redeem myself and give the people the fight they want to see.”

The 36-year-old Barthelemy believes he owes it to his fellow Cubans to perform admirably against Russell. The 26-year-old Russell, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, became the first fighter to stop former WBC 140-pound champion Viktor Postol (31-4, 12 KOs) in the strong southpaw’s most recent fight, a 10th-round, technical-knockout win February 26 at The Cosmopolitan.

“This is an opportunity for me to achieve my goal and my dream,” Barthelemy said, “which is to make history for Cuban boxing. … This is a big responsibility for me, because I fight for Cubans everywhere. This country has been great opening doors for me and I’m thankful that I’ve been able to achieve my dream. At the same time, it is my duty to fight for my oppressed brothers and sisters in Cuba.”

The only loss of Barthelemy’s 13-year pro career was a 12-round, unanimous-decision defeat to Belarus’ Kiryl Relikh (23-3, 19 KOs) in March 2018 at Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio. Barthelemy is 3-0-1 since suffering that setback, but he hasn’t recorded a noteworthy win since he overcame a fifth-round knockdown to beat Relikh by unanimous decision in their first fight, a 12-rounder that took place in May 2017 at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

“My motivation is at an all-time high,” Barthelemy said. “He’s a future star and a quality opponent. My experience will be a factor, though. In addition, my endurance and how I approach this fight physically will be key for me.”

Showtime will televise Russell-Barthelemy as the opener of a three-bout broadcast set to start at 9 p.m. ET.

Brooklyn’s Adam Kownacki (20-2, 15 KOs) will meet Turkey’s Ali Eren Demirezen (16-1, 12 KOs) in a 10-round heavyweight fight after the Russell-Barthelemy bout. In the 12-round main event, former junior welterweight and welterweight champ Danny Garcia (36-3, 21 KOs), of Philadelphia, will make his 154-pound debut against Phoenix’s Jose Benavidez Jr. (27-1-1, 18 KOs).

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for krikya360.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.