LAS VEGAS – Leo Santa Cruz has joined an exclusive fraternity.
Santa Cruz defeated Miguel Flores by a unanimous decision to win a vacant junior lightweight title on the Deontay Wilder-Luis Ortiz card Saturday at the MGM Grand.
That gives him major titles in four divisions, joining Erik Morales, Jorge Arce and Juan Manuel Marquez as the only Mexicans to do so.
Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19 knockouts) didn’t have an easy time with his capable countryman, who was a 40-1 underdog at the MGM going into the fight. However, he pressed the action, outworked Flores (24-3, 12 KOs) and landed many more eye-catching punches than his opponent.
The pattern of the fight didn’t change much, as there were few ebbs and flows. And neither fighter was ever seriously hurt.
The scores were 117-110, 117-110 and 115-112. Flores was docked a point in the eighth round but it had no impact on the decision.
Santa Cruz suffered a cut above his left eye in the 10th round, the result of an accidental head butt. The cut bled into his eye, which clearly bothered him, but he was able to maintain his focus and work rate.
Santa Cruz had won titles at 118 pounds, 122 and 126. He said before he fought Flores that he might some day pursue a title in a fifth division – 135 – if things went well at 130.
Canelo Alvarez, another Mexican, claims to have won titles in four divisions but one of those titles is what the WBA calls its “regular” belt, which Boxing Junkie doesn’t recognize.