Is lightweight contender Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz on the path to becoming the face of Mexican boxing?
The unofficial race to become the face of Mexican boxing is on.
Super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, the country’s biggest star over the past decade-plus, has begun to decline in the opinion of many observers. That means someone will supplant him on the coveted throne sooner rather than later.
The list of potential candidates isn’t long. Setting Alvarez and longtime star Juan Francisco Estrada aside for the purposes of his exercise, among the names that come to mind: Jaime Munguia, Emanuel Navarrete, Oscar Valdez and William Zepeda.
And, of course, there’s swarming, powerful 135-pound contender Isaac Cruz, who, at 25 and surging, might be leading the pack.
Oddly enough it was a setback that lifted “Pitbull” to his current status, his unanimous, but disputed decision against pound-for-pounder Gervonta Davis as a 23-year-old pup in December 2021. No has pushed Davis harder than Cruz, who faces Giovanni Cabrera on the Terence Crawford-Errol Spence Jr. card on July 29.
His fans back home certainly noticed, which he thought “was something beautiful” because acclaim came sooner than he expected. However, he believes he’s still in the process of winning them over.
“I don’t feel like I have the fans in my back pocket,” he told Boxing Junkie through a translator. “I have to keep grinding, keep working to get the fans on my side.”
The grinding resumes in less than two weeks, when he faces the rangy (5-foot-9) Cabrera on pay-per-view from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Cabrera (21-0, 7 KOs) will have been Cruz’s third relatively nondescript opponent since the Davis fight, following knockouts of Yuriorkis Gamboa and Eduardo Ramirez. Cruz (24-2-1, 17 KOs) sees Cabrera as another important step toward where he wants to be.
He insists he has no issues with motivation even though much bigger fights against the top lightweights are on the horizon.
“I don’t overlook anybody,” he said. “I prepare for every fight the same way because each win is [important].”
Indeed, if he continues to have his hand raised, the super fights will come. Cruz wants a rematch with Davis first and foremost. But he also has the likes of Devin Haney, Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko in his sights.
Those fights – or at least one or two of them – would give Cruz the opportunity to join the aforementioned 135-pounders as stars in the deep division, although he feels his performance against Davis should’ve have already led to that perception.
“Absolutely I should be mentioned with that group,” he said. “I faced down the monster (Davis) when I was just a nobody. I don’t feel I’m getting recognition for that. Regardless, I don’t care what people say or don’t say.
“Results speak for themselves. Eventually, inevitably I’ll be named among the best in the division.”
Gervonta Davis delivered another spectacular performance on Saturday night in Las Vegas, stopping Ryan Garcia in seven rounds in a scheduled 12-pound 136-pound fight. The victory underscored “Tank’s”‘ place among the best handful of fighters in the …
Gervonta Davis delivered another spectacular performance on Saturday night in Las Vegas, stopping Ryan Garcia in seven rounds in a scheduled 12-pound 136-pound fight.
The victory underscored “Tank’s”‘ place among the best handful of fighters in the world.
The next step in the career of Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) should be the most difficult, at least on paper: a meeting with one of the top, more-established 135-pounders.
Here are the five best possible opponents for the rising star from Baltimore.
SHAKUR STEVENSON
Record: 20-0 (10 KOs)
Stevenson might be the most skillful boxer on the planet. The former 130-pound titleholder has been untouchable, with the natural gifts and ability to pick his opponents apart while taking almost nothing in return. And the 25-year-old southpaw from New Jersey hasn’t been fighting bums, with Joet Gonzalez, Jamel Herring and Oscar Valdez among his victims. Davis, a superb technician himself, can box with anyone but he generally relies on big punches to get the job done. He could find it difficult to land cleanly against Stevenson, who might be able to stick-and-move his way to surviving 12 rounds and winning a decision. Stevenson’s one liability is ordinary punching power, which could work against him in a meeting with Davis. Can the fight be made? Davis and Stevenson are aligned with competing outlets. But so were Davis and Garcia. If Davis wants the fight to happen, it’ll happen.
DEVIN HANEY
Record: 29-0 (15 KOs)
Haney is the undisputed champion but not necessarily the No. 1 135-pounder. The 24-year-old from San Francisco also is one of the best technicians in the business, although probably not as good as Stevenson. And he punches no harder than Stevenson does, which would add to the challenge he’d face against a complete fighter like Davis. However, Haney shouldn’t be underestimated, even against Davis. He has big fight experience, including back-to-back victories over George Kambosos (the first in which he won all four titles). And he’s a particularly big 135-pounder, which is always a plus. Negotiations between Davis and Haney also could be tricky. However, Davis will be highly motivated to fight for the undisputed championship, whether it’s against Haney or Vasiliy Lomachenko. Haney and Lomachenko are scheduled to meet on May 20.
VASILIY LOMACHENKO Record: 17-2 (11 KOs)
Lomachenko is a wildcard. The boxing wizard from Ukraine could make a fool out of almost anyone once upon a time but he’s 35 now. We’ll find out whether he still has it when he fights Haney. Many wrote Lomachenko off when he lost his 135-pound titles to Teofimo Lopez by a unanimous decision in October 2020. However, he fought with an injured shoulder in that bout. He has since delivered convincing victories over Masayoshi Nakatani (TKO 9), Richard Commey (UD) and Jamaine Ortiz (UD), leading some to believe that he still has plenty to give in this sport. That could be bad news for Davis should they meet in the ring. A Lomachenko at the top of his game could frustrate anyone, even a top pound-for-pounder. Competing entities could pose problems in this one too. However, if Lomachenko beats Haney, Davis will want to fight him.
FRANK MARTIN
Record: 17-0 (12 KOs)
Martin isn’t as established as the big four – Davis, Stevenson, Haney and Lomachenko – but he has shown signs of being a special fighter. He has impressive God-given gifts, polished skills and solid punching power. He had a major breakthrough in his most recent fight, a dominating unanimous decision over previously unbeaten and respected Michel Rivera in December that lifted the 28-year-old from Detroit to elite status. He’s ranked in the Top 7 of all four major sanctioning bodies, which means a big fight is around the corner if he continues to win. Could he push Davis? That would be difficult without much big-fight experience but he has the tools to give anyone problems. Plus, he and Davis are both aligned with PBC and Showtime, which would make negotiations relatively easy.
ISAAC CRUZ
Record: 24-2-1 (17 KOs)
Cruz has already tangled with Davis, giving a good account of himself in a unanimous decision loss in December 2021. So good that he arguably earned the right to meet Davis again. The squat, powerful Mexican might’ve revealed the formula that could give Davis trouble, unrelenting pressure combined with the ability to take hard punches. Cruz never stopped coming. Davis said afterward that he reinjured an injury to his left (lead) hand in the fight, which was a significant handicap. Maybe a healthy, two-handed Davis dominates Cruz, maybe not. One thing is certain: After the first fight, Cruz would step into the ring with a lot of confidence. That’s half the battle against intimidating fighters like Davis. I don’t know whether Davis would be interested in giving Cruz another shot but the fight would be easy to make because they share a manager.
Next two: William Zepeda, an aggressive, powerful volume puncher; Keyshawn Davis, the gifted but relatively inexperienced Olympic silver medalist.
Gervonta Davis delivered another spectacular performance on Saturday night in Las Vegas, stopping Ryan Garcia in seven rounds in a scheduled 12-pound 136-pound fight. The victory underscored “Tank’s”‘ place among the best handful of fighters in the …
Gervonta Davis delivered another spectacular performance on Saturday night in Las Vegas, stopping Ryan Garcia in seven rounds in a scheduled 12-pound 136-pound fight.
The victory underscored “Tank’s”‘ place among the best handful of fighters in the world.
The next step in the career of Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) should be the most difficult, at least on paper: a meeting with one of the top, more-established 135-pounders.
Here are the five best possible opponents for the rising star from Baltimore.
SHAKUR STEVENSON
Record: 20-0 (10 KOs)
Stevenson might be the most skillful boxer on the planet. The former 130-pound titleholder has been untouchable, with the natural gifts and ability to pick his opponents apart while taking almost nothing in return. And the 25-year-old southpaw from New Jersey hasn’t been fighting bums, with Joet Gonzalez, Jamel Herring and Oscar Valdez among his victims. Davis, a superb technician himself, can box with anyone but he generally relies on big punches to get the job done. He could find it difficult to land cleanly against Stevenson, who might be able to stick-and-move his way to surviving 12 rounds and winning a decision. Stevenson’s one liability is ordinary punching power, which could work against him in a meeting with Davis. Can the fight be made? Davis and Stevenson are aligned with competing outlets. But so were Davis and Garcia. If Davis wants the fight to happen, it’ll happen.
DEVIN HANEY
Record: 29-0 (15 KOs)
Haney is the undisputed champion but not necessarily the No. 1 135-pounder. The 24-year-old from San Francisco also is one of the best technicians in the business, although probably not as good as Stevenson. And he punches no harder than Stevenson does, which would add to the challenge he’d face against a complete fighter like Davis. However, Haney shouldn’t be underestimated, even against Davis. He has big fight experience, including back-to-back victories over George Kambosos (the first in which he won all four titles). And he’s a particularly big 135-pounder, which is always a plus. Negotiations between Davis and Haney also could be tricky. However, Davis will be highly motivated to fight for the undisputed championship, whether it’s against Haney or Vasiliy Lomachenko. Haney and Lomachenko are scheduled to meet on May 20.
VASILIY LOMACHENKO Record: 17-2 (11 KOs)
Lomachenko is a wildcard. The boxing wizard from Ukraine could make a fool out of almost anyone once upon a time but he’s 35 now. We’ll find out whether he still has it when he fights Haney. Many wrote Lomachenko off when he lost his 135-pound titles to Teofimo Lopez by a unanimous decision in October 2020. However, he fought with an injured shoulder in that bout. He has since delivered convincing victories over Masayoshi Nakatani (TKO 9), Richard Commey (UD) and Jamaine Ortiz (UD), leading some to believe that he still has plenty to give in this sport. That could be bad news for Davis should they meet in the ring. A Lomachenko at the top of his game could frustrate anyone, even a top pound-for-pounder. Competing entities could pose problems in this one too. However, if Lomachenko beats Haney, Davis will want to fight him.
FRANK MARTIN
Record: 17-0 (12 KOs)
Martin isn’t as established as the big four – Davis, Stevenson, Haney and Lomachenko – but he has shown signs of being a special fighter. He has impressive God-given gifts, polished skills and solid punching power. He had a major breakthrough in his most recent fight, a dominating unanimous decision over previously unbeaten and respected Michel Rivera in December that lifted the 28-year-old from Detroit to elite status. He’s ranked in the Top 7 of all four major sanctioning bodies, which means a big fight is around the corner if he continues to win. Could he push Davis? That would be difficult without much big-fight experience but he has the tools to give anyone problems. Plus, he and Davis are both aligned with PBC and Showtime, which would make negotiations relatively easy.
ISAAC CRUZ
Record: 24-2-1 (17 KOs)
Cruz has already tangled with Davis, giving a good account of himself in a unanimous decision loss in December 2021. So good that he arguably earned the right to meet Davis again. The squat, powerful Mexican might’ve revealed the formula that could give Davis trouble, unrelenting pressure combined with the ability to take hard punches. Cruz never stopped coming. Davis said afterward that he reinjured an injury to his left (lead) hand in the fight, which was a significant handicap. Maybe a healthy, two-handed Davis dominates Cruz, maybe not. One thing is certain: After the first fight, Cruz would step into the ring with a lot of confidence. That’s half the battle against intimidating fighters like Davis. I don’t know whether Davis would be interested in giving Cruz another shot but the fight would be easy to make because they share a manager.
Next two: William Zepeda, an aggressive, powerful volume puncher; Keyshawn Davis, the gifted but relatively inexperienced Olympic silver medalist.
Good, bad, worse: Andy Ruiz Jr. gave an uninspiring, but effective performance against Luis Ortiz on Sunday in Los Angeles.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
If Andy Ruiz Jr.’s only goal was the have his hand raised in his comeback fight against fellow heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz on Sunday in Los Angeles, then he succeeded. If he wanted to make a statement, well, he didn’t have a great night.
The former unified titleholder looked terrific for three moments, the moments when he put Ruiz down – twice in Round 2 and once in Round 7. Otherwise, Ruiz did more waiting than punching and was outworked by his 43-year-old, weak-legged opponent in a lackluster fight. According to CompuBox, Ortiz threw 428 punches, Ruiz only 287 (24 per round).
That allowed Ortiz (33-3, 28 KOs) to stay in the fight in spite of the knockdowns, winning six rounds on two cards and seven on the third.
What went wrong?
Ruiz (35-2, 22 KOs) would say “nothing.” The strategy devised by Ruiz and trainer Alfredo Osuna evidently was to box, wait for Ortiz to commit and then counter with quick, hard combinations. That’s essentially what Ruiz did, which resulted in the knockdowns and the unanimous decision victory.
I believe there was more to it than sticking to a game plan, though. Ruiz had never faced a left-handed opponent before Sunday, which was significant. He reportedly had problems adjusting to southpaw sparring partners early in camp. And it appeared that the issues weren’t fully resolved against Ortiz, who is a particularly clever southpaw with fight-ending power.
Thus, Ruiz has reason to be satisfied that he exited the ring with a victory, one that could lead directly to a massive fight against former champion Deontay Wilder if Wilder defeats Robert Helenius on Oct. 15 in Brooklyn.
It was a productive night for Ruiz even if it wasn’t a thrilling one.
BAD
Andy Ruiz Jr. (right) put Luis Ortiz down three times. Harry How / Getty Images
Ortiz performed about as well as he could against Ruiz.
The Cuban can still box, can still think, can still throw a lot of punches, can still punch. He just couldn’t overcome two things on Sunday, Ruiz’s ability to take a hard shot and his own inability to do so.
Ortiz has been down five times in his last two fights, including two knockdowns before he stopped Charles Martin in six rounds in January. He can still take a decent punch without getting hurt badly. The problem appears to be his legs, which seem to betray him when he gets caught.
That’s what happened when Martin put him down with a jab that would’ve had no effect on him five or 10 years ago.
Ortiz can still compete at a high level – as he demonstrated on Sunday night – but his weak legs are difficult to overcome. And they’re only going to get weaker as he moves into his mid-40s.
Should he retire? I wouldn’t advise him to step away based on his response when he was asked after the fight whether he might be finished.
He seemed stunned that anyone would ask him such a question after what he believed to be a strong, courageous performance even though it was a reasonable query given his age and obvious liabilities.
“Do you think I’m done?” he said. “You saw a warrior tonight. What do the people want? Do you think I’m done?”
Indeed, he performed well enough against Ruiz to get another meaningful fight, which was a victory of sorts. And he obviously wants to continue what he’s done most of his life, to make a good living for his family, to cling to his dream of winning a world title.
I believe we’ll see Ortiz fight at least once or twice more.
WORSE
The fate of Jose Valenzuela on the Ruiz-Ortiz card is an example of how cruel boxing can be.
The lightweight contender was unbeaten and a rising young star as a result of his ability, controlled aggression and punching power. His ceiling was high. And then he met Edwin De Los Santos, a late replacement for Jezreel Corrales.
De Los Santos not only upset Valenzuela, he overwhelmed him. The quick-handed Dominican landed almost at will from the opening bell, which resulted in two knockdowns and a stunning third-round knockout.
De Los Santos (15-1, 14 KOs) went from a relatively obscure fighter to a major player in the deep 135-pound division. Valenzuela (12-1, 8 KOs) went the opposite direction, from a budding star to a fighter who might not have elite ability after all.
Valenzuela said he was surprised by De Los Santos’ aggression. It was more than that, though. His biggest problem appears to be his inability to avoid punches, as former champion and TV analyst Shawn Porter suggested.
He must pull out all stops to hone his defensive skills if he hopes to become the fighter he was projected to be.
And, just as important, he’ll have to overcome the psychological trauma of such a devastating loss, which won’t be easy. Some fighters can bounce back from that kind of setback, many can’t.
We’re going to learn a lot about Valenzuela’s mental toughness in the coming months.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Juan Francisco Estrada (43-3, 28 KOs) received surprisingly tough resistance from relative unknown Argi Cortes (23-3-2, 10 KOs) on Saturday in Mexico in what was supposed to be a tune-up for a third fight with rival Roman Gonzalez on Dec. 3. Estrada, who hadn’t fought in almost 18 months, was able to earn a unanimous decision victory but was never able to take complete control of the fight. Maybe it was rust. Maybe he underestimated Cortes. Maybe Cortes is simply better than anyone realized. Most likely it was all three reasons. Bottom line: It was strange to see the great Mexican champion struggle to beat an upstart. The version of Estrada we saw on Saturday probably couldn’t beat “Chocolatito,” who lost a disputed decision to Estrada in March of last year. Fortunately for Estrada (43-3, 28 KOs) a better version is likely to show up for the rubber match. Estrada will have shed whatever rust he experienced and he certainly won’t underestimate Gonzalez, one of the greatest fighters of his generation. Meanwhile, Cortes (23-3-2, 10 KOs) became a player in the 115-pound division over night as a result of his performance. He can box, he’s resilient and he handled the spotlight as if he’d been there a million times. He also has a Hall of Fame trainer in his corner, Nacho Beristain. Cortes suddenly has a bright future. …
I would pick Wilder to beat Ruiz but I’d the give the latter a chance in that fight because of his chin. I’m not sure anyone could stand up to Wilder’s power for long – even Tyson Fury went down four times in three fights with him – but Ruiz has an unusual ability to absorb punishment. That, combined with his solid skill set and quick, heavy hands, make him a threat to Wilder. … Isaac Cruz (24-2-1, 17 KOs) turned in another impressive performance on the Ruiz-Ortiz card. The lightweight contender buried capable of Eduardo Ramirez (27-3-3, 12 KOs) in an avalanche of power punches until Ramirez went down twice and was stopped in the second round. Is there anyone more fun to watch than Cruz? The 24-year-old Mexican now has two consecutive knockouts (including one against Yuriorkis Gamboa in April) since he lost a disputed decision to Gervonta Davis last December. I don’t know how he’d fair in a rematch with Davis or against the likes of superb technicians Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko but he would make them work hard for whatever they get, as we saw in the fight with Davis. …
Abner Mares (31-3-2, 15 KOs) didn’t have his hand raised against Miguel Flores (25-4-1, 2 KOs) in his first fight in four years but he should be pleased with himself. The 36-year-old former three-division champion fought the naturally bigger, fresher Flores to a majority draw in a 10-round lightweight bout on the Ruiz-Ortiz card. Mares appeared to be on his way to a sensational victory by Round 3, during which he hurt Flores several times with overhand rights. However, he then settled into a stick-and-move mode that allowed Flores to pull even with him by the end of the fight. Mares said afterward that he had problems with timing and other issues but he gave a solid performance given the circumstances. I didn’t like his posture in the second half of the fight – maybe he was just tired – but he can still fight at a high level.
Good, bad, worse: Andy Ruiz Jr. gave an uninspiring, but effective performance against Luis Ortiz on Sunday in Los Angeles.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
If Andy Ruiz Jr.’s only goal was the have his hand raised in his comeback fight against fellow heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz on Sunday in Los Angeles, then he succeeded. If he wanted to make a statement, well, he didn’t have a great night.
The former unified titleholder looked terrific for three moments, the moments when he put Ruiz down – twice in Round 2 and once in Round 7. Otherwise, Ruiz did more waiting than punching and was outworked by his 43-year-old, weak-legged opponent in a lackluster fight. According to CompuBox, Ortiz threw 428 punches, Ruiz only 287 (24 per round).
That allowed Ortiz (33-3, 28 KOs) to stay in the fight in spite of the knockdowns, winning six rounds on two cards and seven on the third.
What went wrong?
Ruiz (35-2, 22 KOs) would say “nothing.” The strategy devised by Ruiz and trainer Alfredo Osuna evidently was to box, wait for Ortiz to commit and then counter with quick, hard combinations. That’s essentially what Ruiz did, which resulted in the knockdowns and the unanimous decision victory.
I believe there was more to it than sticking to a game plan, though. Ruiz had never faced a left-handed opponent before Sunday, which was significant. He reportedly had problems adjusting to southpaw sparring partners early in camp. And it appeared that the issues weren’t fully resolved against Ortiz, who is a particularly clever southpaw with fight-ending power.
Thus, Ruiz has reason to be satisfied that he exited the ring with a victory, one that could lead directly to a massive fight against former champion Deontay Wilder if Wilder defeats Robert Helenius on Oct. 15 in Brooklyn.
It was a productive night for Ruiz even if it wasn’t a thrilling one.
BAD
Andy Ruiz Jr. (right) put Luis Ortiz down three times. Harry How / Getty Images
Ortiz performed about as well as he could against Ruiz.
The Cuban can still box, can still think, can still throw a lot of punches, can still punch. He just couldn’t overcome two things on Sunday, Ruiz’s ability to take a hard shot and his own inability to do so.
Ortiz has been down five times in his last two fights, including two knockdowns before he stopped Charles Martin in six rounds in January. He can still take a decent punch without getting hurt badly. The problem appears to be his legs, which seem to betray him when he gets caught.
That’s what happened when Martin put him down with a jab that would’ve had no effect on him five or 10 years ago.
Ortiz can still compete at a high level – as he demonstrated on Sunday night – but his weak legs are difficult to overcome. And they’re only going to get weaker as he moves into his mid-40s.
Should he retire? I wouldn’t advise him to step away based on his response when he was asked after the fight whether he might be finished.
He seemed stunned that anyone would ask him such a question after what he believed to be a strong, courageous performance even though it was a reasonable query given his age and obvious liabilities.
“Do you think I’m done?” he said. “You saw a warrior tonight. What do the people want? Do you think I’m done?”
Indeed, he performed well enough against Ruiz to get another meaningful fight, which was a victory of sorts. And he obviously wants to continue what he’s done most of his life, to make a good living for his family, to cling to his dream of winning a world title.
I believe we’ll see Ortiz fight at least once or twice more.
WORSE
The fate of Jose Valenzuela on the Ruiz-Ortiz card is an example of how cruel boxing can be.
The lightweight contender was unbeaten and a rising young star as a result of his ability, controlled aggression and punching power. His ceiling was high. And then he met Edwin De Los Santos, a late replacement for Jezreel Corrales.
De Los Santos not only upset Valenzuela, he overwhelmed him. The quick-handed Dominican landed almost at will from the opening bell, which resulted in two knockdowns and a stunning third-round knockout.
De Los Santos (15-1, 14 KOs) went from a relatively obscure fighter to a major player in the deep 135-pound division. Valenzuela (12-1, 8 KOs) went the opposite direction, from a budding star to a fighter who might not have elite ability after all.
Valenzuela said he was surprised by De Los Santos’ aggression. It was more than that, though. His biggest problem appears to be his inability to avoid punches, as former champion and TV analyst Shawn Porter suggested.
He must pull out all stops to hone his defensive skills if he hopes to become the fighter he was projected to be.
And, just as important, he’ll have to overcome the psychological trauma of such a devastating loss, which won’t be easy. Some fighters can bounce back from that kind of setback, many can’t.
We’re going to learn a lot about Valenzuela’s mental toughness in the coming months.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Juan Francisco Estrada (43-3, 28 KOs) received surprisingly tough resistance from relative unknown Argi Cortes (23-3-2, 10 KOs) on Saturday in Mexico in what was supposed to be a tune-up for a third fight with rival Roman Gonzalez on Dec. 3. Estrada, who hadn’t fought in almost 18 months, was able to earn a unanimous decision victory but was never able to take complete control of the fight. Maybe it was rust. Maybe he underestimated Cortes. Maybe Cortes is simply better than anyone realized. Most likely it was all three reasons. Bottom line: It was strange to see the great Mexican champion struggle to beat an upstart. The version of Estrada we saw on Saturday probably couldn’t beat “Chocolatito,” who lost a disputed decision to Estrada in March of last year. Fortunately for Estrada (43-3, 28 KOs) a better version is likely to show up for the rubber match. Estrada will have shed whatever rust he experienced and he certainly won’t underestimate Gonzalez, one of the greatest fighters of his generation. Meanwhile, Cortes (23-3-2, 10 KOs) became a player in the 115-pound division over night as a result of his performance. He can box, he’s resilient and he handled the spotlight as if he’d been there a million times. He also has a Hall of Fame trainer in his corner, Nacho Beristain. Cortes suddenly has a bright future. …
I would pick Wilder to beat Ruiz but I’d the give the latter a chance in that fight because of his chin. I’m not sure anyone could stand up to Wilder’s power for long – even Tyson Fury went down four times in three fights with him – but Ruiz has an unusual ability to absorb punishment. That, combined with his solid skill set and quick, heavy hands, make him a threat to Wilder. … Isaac Cruz (24-2-1, 17 KOs) turned in another impressive performance on the Ruiz-Ortiz card. The lightweight contender buried capable of Eduardo Ramirez (27-3-3, 12 KOs) in an avalanche of power punches until Ramirez went down twice and was stopped in the second round. Is there anyone more fun to watch than Cruz? The 24-year-old Mexican now has two consecutive knockouts (including one against Yuriorkis Gamboa in April) since he lost a disputed decision to Gervonta Davis last December. I don’t know how he’d fair in a rematch with Davis or against the likes of superb technicians Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko but he would make them work hard for whatever they get, as we saw in the fight with Davis. …
Abner Mares (31-3-2, 15 KOs) didn’t have his hand raised against Miguel Flores (25-4-1, 2 KOs) in his first fight in four years but he should be pleased with himself. The 36-year-old former three-division champion fought the naturally bigger, fresher Flores to a majority draw in a 10-round lightweight bout on the Ruiz-Ortiz card. Mares appeared to be on his way to a sensational victory by Round 3, during which he hurt Flores several times with overhand rights. However, he then settled into a stick-and-move mode that allowed Flores to pull even with him by the end of the fight. Mares said afterward that he had problems with timing and other issues but he gave a solid performance given the circumstances. I didn’t like his posture in the second half of the fight – maybe he was just tired – but he can still fight at a high level.
Isaac Cruz brutally knocked out Eduardo Ramirez in the second round of a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout Sunday in Los Angeles.
Isaac Cruz made another strong statement.
The Mexican slugger stopped countryman Eduardo Ramirez at 2:27 of the second round of a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout on the Andy Ruiz Jr.-Luis Ortiz card Sunday in Los Angeles.
Cruz (24-2-1, 17 KOs) had some trouble cornering an elusive Ramirez (27-3-3, 12 KOs) in a relatively uneventful opening round.
However, that changed in an instant midway through Round 2, when Cruz put his countryman down and hurt him badly with a perfect left hook to the chin.
The worst was yet to come for Ramirez, as Cruz attacked his wounded prey viciously until a three-punch combination put him on his pants again.
That was enough for referee Jack Reiss, who didn’t hesitate to stop the fight to save Ramirez from further punishment.
“I was ready to win at all costs, for my family,” Cruz said, “and what better way to win than here in front of all the great fans in Los Angeles.”
Afterward, Cruz, a top contender, called out Gervonta Davis, who narrowly outpointed him last December. That fight isn’t likely to happen. However, performances like the one Cruz turned in Sunday keep him in thick of championship hunt.
Isaac Cruz brutally knocked out Eduardo Ramirez in the second round of a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout Sunday in Los Angeles.
Isaac Cruz made another strong statement.
The Mexican slugger stopped countryman Eduardo Ramirez at 2:27 of the second round of a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout on the Andy Ruiz Jr.-Luis Ortiz card Sunday in Los Angeles.
Cruz (24-2-1, 17 KOs) had some trouble cornering an elusive Ramirez (27-3-3, 12 KOs) in a relatively uneventful opening round.
However, that changed in an instant midway through Round 2, when Cruz put his countryman down and hurt him badly with a perfect left hook to the chin.
The worst was yet to come for Ramirez, as Cruz attacked his wounded prey viciously until a three-punch combination put him on his pants again.
That was enough for referee Jack Reiss, who didn’t hesitate to stop the fight to save Ramirez from further punishment.
“I was ready to win at all costs, for my family,” Cruz said, “and what better way to win than here in front of all the great fans in Los Angeles.”
Afterward, Cruz, a top contender, called out Gervonta Davis, who narrowly outpointed him last December. That fight isn’t likely to happen. However, performances like the one Cruz turned in Sunday keep him in thick of championship hunt.
A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD Errol Spence Jr.’s dominating victory over Yordenis Ugas was special … but it was nothing compared to what might follow. Spence was nothing short of sensational on Saturday at AT&T Stadium outside …
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Errol Spence Jr.’s dominating victory over Yordenis Ugas was special … but it was nothing compared to what might follow.
Spence was nothing short of sensational on Saturday at AT&T Stadium outside Dallas, coldly, methodically breaking down an accomplished opponent before stopping him in the 10th round to unify three welterweight titles.
The performance was particularly impressive given the obstacles he had to overcome – a horrific car accident in 2019, a detached retina last year and a 16-month layoff.
Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) is No. 5 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound – a similar position to most rankings – but some might argue that he should be closer to the top, closer to Boxing Junkie’s No. 1-ranked fighter, Terence Crawford.
That’s what makes a potential showdown between Spence and Crawford so compelling. Not only would the fight establish an undisputed welterweight champion; it would also pit two Top-5 pound-for-pounders against one another.
It doesn’t get better than that.
And the chances of it actually happening after years of anticipation appear to be high, as Spence and free-agent Crawford no longer fight for competing entities. Plus, Spence never made it more clear than he did after the fight on Saturday that he wants to meet Crawford in the ring.
I wish the fight had happened a few years ago, when Crawford (who turns 35 in September) was in his physical prime. However, this wouldn’t be like Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao, which had the feel of an old-timers game because it happened far too late.
Spence demonstrated on Saturday night that he’s at least close to his best. And Crawford is coming off an impressive knockout of former champion Shawn Porter in November, evidence that he remains near the top of his game.
Spence vs. Crawford might be the biggest possible fight in boxing. Fingers crossed it happens in the fall.
BAD
Yordenis Ugas was deavstated after his setback. AP Photo / Jeffrey McWhorter
“I feel sad because I trained really hard for this fight,” Ugas said after falling short of goal to become unified welterweight champion. “All respect to Errol Spence. He’s a great champion. I’m just sad with what happened tonight.”
Ugas’ sentiments are understandable. He experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows in consecutive fights, which is always takes a toll.
The one-time Cuban amateur star had come a long way, overcoming the trials of defection from his native country, back-to-back losses in 2014 and a subsequent two-year hiatus from the sport to build himself into a top 147-pound contender.
And his ascent was capped with a monumental upset of Manny Pacquiao last August, which gave him his first major title at the age of 34 and made him a major player in the division.
Then, in one night, it must have felt as if he were back in 2014. He fought gallantly but was outclassed by Spence in the end, which left him on the wrong end of a one-sided beating and with a broken orbital bone. Ugas is good, Spence is special.
Thus, it was easy to understand Ugas’ anguish the fight. However, time will provide perspective.
The fact he was able to overcome the obstacles to reach the pinnacle of the sport is an accomplishment that will always bring him pride. Unlike Pacquiao, who was 42 when they fought, Ugas is young enough to continue with his career.
And, finally, we shouldn’t feel too sorry for him: He should walk away with at least $2 million after pay-per-view revenues are divvied up. That should help alleviate some of the emotional pain he’s feeling after his disappointment.
WORSE
Isaac Cruz came out the gate swinging 👀 #CruzGamboa
Then, on the Spence-Ugas card, Josesito Lopez, 37, Francisco Vargas, 37, and Yuriorkis Gamboa, 40, looked their ages.
Lopez (38-9, 21 KOs) gave welterweight contender Cody Crowley (21-0, 9 KOs) some resistance early in their scheduled 10-rounder but seemed to get old mid-fight and was barely able to hear the final bell, as Crowley won a wide decision.
Lopez was one of the toughest fighters in the world between 135 and 147 pounds for years, including a knockout victory over Victor Ortiz. Now it appears he’s finished.
Vargas (27-4-2, 19 KOs) was still warming up when a monster left hand from lightweight prospect Jose Valenzuela knocked him onto his back and out. It’s difficult to imagine the former 130-pound champ bouncing back from that kind of setback but he’s a warrior through and through.
And Gamboa (30-5, 18 KOs) went down four times against juggernaut Isaac Cruz before the fight was mercifully stopped in the fifth round. The 2004 Olympic gold medalist and two-time featherweight champion was willing but no longer has the legs to fight at a high level. He’s shot.
I don’t want to be overly critical of matchmakers who tempt fate by pitting faded champions against hot young stars. Matchmaking is the hardest job in boxing. Plus, older fighters deserve opportunities if they can demonstrate they remain competent.
At the same time, the events of Saturday made it clear that matchmakers and other powerbrokers must be careful about making such decisions.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Benn (21-0, 14 KOs) demonstrated again in his victory over van Heerden that he could develop into a threat to any of the top 147-pounders. He’s a dynamic all-around fighter with big-time power. Ask van Heerden. The only obvious flaw in Benn’s performance was that he was somewhat reckless from the opening bell. If he attacked a Spence or a Crawford with the abandon he went after van Heerden, he’d get knocked out. … Eimantas Stanionis (14-0, 9 KOs) took another nice step in his career on the Spence-Ugas card, defeating previously unbeaten Radzhab Butaev (14-1, 11 KOs) by a split decision that should’ve been unanimous. He’s on the precipice of landing a world title fight and he might have the ability to win it. … Valenzuela (12-0, 8 KOs) made a powerful statement with his one-punch knockout of Vargas. The Seattle-based Mexican, a disciple of trainer Jose Benavidez Sr., is one of the top handful of prospects in the world. … I don’t know how far Crowley (21-0, 9 KOs) will go but he’s a good, disciplined boxer with the fitness to go 20 strong rounds. That formula is going to make him difficult to beat even at the highest level. … The knockout streak of junior welterweight Brandun Lee (25-0, 22 KOs) ended at 15 when clever Zachary Ochoa (21-3, 7 KOs) took him the distance on the Spence-Ugas card. No shame in that. He probably learned more during the unanimous-decision victory than he would’ve with another spectacular stoppage.
A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD Errol Spence Jr.’s dominating victory over Yordenis Ugas was special … but it was nothing compared to what might follow. Spence was nothing short of sensational on Saturday at AT&T Stadium outside …
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Errol Spence Jr.’s dominating victory over Yordenis Ugas was special … but it was nothing compared to what might follow.
Spence was nothing short of sensational on Saturday at AT&T Stadium outside Dallas, coldly, methodically breaking down an accomplished opponent before stopping him in the 10th round to unify three welterweight titles.
The performance was particularly impressive given the obstacles he had to overcome – a horrific car accident in 2019, a detached retina last year and a 16-month layoff.
Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) is No. 5 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound – a similar position to most rankings – but some might argue that he should be closer to the top, closer to Boxing Junkie’s No. 1-ranked fighter, Terence Crawford.
That’s what makes a potential showdown between Spence and Crawford so compelling. Not only would the fight establish an undisputed welterweight champion; it would also pit two Top-5 pound-for-pounders against one another.
It doesn’t get better than that.
And the chances of it actually happening after years of anticipation appear to be high, as Spence and free-agent Crawford no longer fight for competing entities. Plus, Spence never made it more clear than he did after the fight on Saturday that he wants to meet Crawford in the ring.
I wish the fight had happened a few years ago, when Crawford (who turns 35 in September) was in his physical prime. However, this wouldn’t be like Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao, which had the feel of an old-timers game because it happened far too late.
Spence demonstrated on Saturday night that he’s at least close to his best. And Crawford is coming off an impressive knockout of former champion Shawn Porter in November, evidence that he remains near the top of his game.
Spence vs. Crawford might be the biggest possible fight in boxing. Fingers crossed it happens in the fall.
BAD
Yordenis Ugas was deavstated after his setback. AP Photo / Jeffrey McWhorter
“I feel sad because I trained really hard for this fight,” Ugas said after falling short of goal to become unified welterweight champion. “All respect to Errol Spence. He’s a great champion. I’m just sad with what happened tonight.”
Ugas’ sentiments are understandable. He experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows in consecutive fights, which is always takes a toll.
The one-time Cuban amateur star had come a long way, overcoming the trials of defection from his native country, back-to-back losses in 2014 and a subsequent two-year hiatus from the sport to build himself into a top 147-pound contender.
And his ascent was capped with a monumental upset of Manny Pacquiao last August, which gave him his first major title at the age of 34 and made him a major player in the division.
Then, in one night, it must have felt as if he were back in 2014. He fought gallantly but was outclassed by Spence in the end, which left him on the wrong end of a one-sided beating and with a broken orbital bone. Ugas is good, Spence is special.
Thus, it was easy to understand Ugas’ anguish the fight. However, time will provide perspective.
The fact he was able to overcome the obstacles to reach the pinnacle of the sport is an accomplishment that will always bring him pride. Unlike Pacquiao, who was 42 when they fought, Ugas is young enough to continue with his career.
And, finally, we shouldn’t feel too sorry for him: He should walk away with at least $2 million after pay-per-view revenues are divvied up. That should help alleviate some of the emotional pain he’s feeling after his disappointment.
WORSE
Isaac Cruz came out the gate swinging 👀 #CruzGamboa
Then, on the Spence-Ugas card, Josesito Lopez, 37, Francisco Vargas, 37, and Yuriorkis Gamboa, 40, looked their ages.
Lopez (38-9, 21 KOs) gave welterweight contender Cody Crowley (21-0, 9 KOs) some resistance early in their scheduled 10-rounder but seemed to get old mid-fight and was barely able to hear the final bell, as Crowley won a wide decision.
Lopez was one of the toughest fighters in the world between 135 and 147 pounds for years, including a knockout victory over Victor Ortiz. Now it appears he’s finished.
Vargas (27-4-2, 19 KOs) was still warming up when a monster left hand from lightweight prospect Jose Valenzuela knocked him onto his back and out. It’s difficult to imagine the former 130-pound champ bouncing back from that kind of setback but he’s a warrior through and through.
And Gamboa (30-5, 18 KOs) went down four times against juggernaut Isaac Cruz before the fight was mercifully stopped in the fifth round. The 2004 Olympic gold medalist and two-time featherweight champion was willing but no longer has the legs to fight at a high level. He’s shot.
I don’t want to be overly critical of matchmakers who tempt fate by pitting faded champions against hot young stars. Matchmaking is the hardest job in boxing. Plus, older fighters deserve opportunities if they can demonstrate they remain competent.
At the same time, the events of Saturday made it clear that matchmakers and other powerbrokers must be careful about making such decisions.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Benn (21-0, 14 KOs) demonstrated again in his victory over van Heerden that he could develop into a threat to any of the top 147-pounders. He’s a dynamic all-around fighter with big-time power. Ask van Heerden. The only obvious flaw in Benn’s performance was that he was somewhat reckless from the opening bell. If he attacked a Spence or a Crawford with the abandon he went after van Heerden, he’d get knocked out. … Eimantas Stanionis (14-0, 9 KOs) took another nice step in his career on the Spence-Ugas card, defeating previously unbeaten Radzhab Butaev (14-1, 11 KOs) by a split decision that should’ve been unanimous. He’s on the precipice of landing a world title fight and he might have the ability to win it. … Valenzuela (12-0, 8 KOs) made a powerful statement with his one-punch knockout of Vargas. The Seattle-based Mexican, a disciple of trainer Jose Benavidez Sr., is one of the top handful of prospects in the world. … I don’t know how far Crowley (21-0, 9 KOs) will go but he’s a good, disciplined boxer with the fitness to go 20 strong rounds. That formula is going to make him difficult to beat even at the highest level. … The knockout streak of junior welterweight Brandun Lee (25-0, 22 KOs) ended at 15 when clever Zachary Ochoa (21-3, 7 KOs) took him the distance on the Spence-Ugas card. No shame in that. He probably learned more during the unanimous-decision victory than he would’ve with another spectacular stoppage.
Isaac Cruz battered and then stopped Yuriorkis Gamboa in the fifth round Saturday in Arlington, Texas.
Artistic? Not at all. Brutal? Absolutely.
Isaac Cruz battered Yuriorkis Gamboa mercilessly until the lightweight fight was finally stopped in the fifth round on the Errol Spence Jr.-Yordenis Ugas card Saturday in Arlington, Texas.
Cruz (23-2-1, 16 KOs) made a strong impression in a losing cause against Gervonta Davis in December, losing a disputed decision.
And the Mexican further enhanced his reputation against the 40-year-old Gamboa, although he had no desire to demonstrate his boxing skills in a seek-and-destroy effort.
Cruz winged mostly wild punches from the opening bell. Many missed, some didn’t, which led to Gamboa’s demise.
The Cuban went down in each of Rounds 2, 3, 4 and 5. He refused to quit after the first three knockdowns, holding, moving, punching back, doing anything to survive.
However, there was no coming back from the last knockdown, the result of a left hook to the head and then a right to the head, which sent a badly damaged Gamboa into the ropes.
At that point, referee Mark Calo oy immediately gave Gamboa a bear hug, his way of saying enough was enough. The official time of the stoppage was 1:32 of Round 5.
Gamboa was stopped by Davis in the 12th and final round and he went the distance with Devin Haney in his previous two fights.
“I came here to box, not dance. I gave a spectacle here in Dallas,” Cruz said.
Cruz is ranked by all four of the major sanctioning bodies. He’ll probably creep higher on each list after his spectacular victory on Saturday.
