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.
Errol Spence Jr. and Yordenis Ugas on Friday made weight for their welterweight title-unification fight Saturday.
Errol Spence Jr. and Yordenis Ugas on Friday made weight for their welterweight title-unification bout Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (pay-per-view).
Spence weighed 146.2, .8 below the division limit. Ugas came in at 146.8.
Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) will be defending his IBF and WBC titles, Ugas (27-4, 12 KOs) his WBA belt.
Also, Isaac Cruz initially came in overweight for a scheduled 135-pound bout against Yuriorkis Gamboa, scaling 136.6 pounds. However, he weighed 134.8 on his second try.
Gamboa weighed 134.3.
Here are the weights for the other featured fights on the card:
Brandun Lee (142.4) vs. Zachary Ochoa (141.2), welterweights
Radzhab Butaev (146.6) vs. Eimantas Stanionis (146.6), welterweights
Cody Crowley (144.6) vs. Josesito Lopez (146.6), welterweights
Jose Valenzuela (134.8) vs. Francisco Vargas (134.4), lightweights
Errol Spence Jr. and Yordenis Ugas on Friday made weight for their welterweight title-unification fight Saturday.
Errol Spence Jr. and Yordenis Ugas on Friday made weight for their welterweight title-unification bout Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (pay-per-view).
Spence weighed 146.2, .8 below the division limit. Ugas came in at 146.8.
Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) will be defending his IBF and WBC titles, Ugas (27-4, 12 KOs) his WBA belt.
Also, Isaac Cruz initially came in overweight for a scheduled 135-pound bout against Yuriorkis Gamboa, scaling 136.6 pounds. However, he weighed 134.8 on his second try.
Gamboa weighed 134.3.
Here are the weights for the other featured fights on the card:
Brandun Lee (142.4) vs. Zachary Ochoa (141.2), welterweights
Radzhab Butaev (146.6) vs. Eimantas Stanionis (146.6), welterweights
Cody Crowley (144.6) vs. Josesito Lopez (146.6), welterweights
Jose Valenzuela (134.8) vs. Francisco Vargas (134.4), lightweights
Isaac Cruz: “We’ll see if Yuriorkis (Gamboa) comes out to fight or dance.”
Editor’s note: This article was originally published at DAZN.com.
With the confidence that came from facing Gervonta Davis in a losing effort back in December, Isaac Cruz is ready to get back on the winning track.
“Pitbull” is scheduled to face former titleholder Yuriorkis Gamboa in a 10-round 135-pound bout on the undercard of Saturday’s Errol Spence Jr.-Yordenis Ugas welterweight title-unification fight on pay-per-view.
The 23-year-old Mexican will be facing an experienced former Cuban Olympian, who will be looking for a victory that will catapult him once again into title contention.
“I will give my best to make it an entertaining fight,” Cruz said in an interview with DAZN News after finishing his training camp in Mexico City. “It’s up to Yuriorkis Gamboa if he comes out to fight or dance.
“We know that he is hardly going to present an aggressive fight, but we are preparing for any kind of fight that Gamboa can give us. Fighting, dancing, or any kind of trickery… we work for all scenarios.”
[lawrence-related id=26608,26598,26548]
Despite a 17-year age difference between the two, Cruz insisted that he is not overconfident and expects the best version of Gamboa to arrive.
“I expect a Yuriorkis with hunger, who will launch himself to recover his career,” Cruz said. “Let’s see if he really wants to continue [in boxing] or his time has passed because I’m in my moment, and I’m going to give my best. …
“I’m not going to give anything away to anyone. I’m going to give my best and conquer Dallas.”
But the goal does not end with a victory over Gamboa. Cruz said he would look for figures like Ryan Garcia, George Kambosos, Devin Haney and even Davis again after this fight.
“The result of the fight against Gervonta gave me a lot of confidence,” he said. “… That’s why I have no problem looking for Ryan again as long as they stop with the circus, as they wanted to do everything through social networks.
“They should get in touch with my company (Manny Pacquiao Promotions). and I have no problem facing any fighter.”
Isaac Cruz: “We’ll see if Yuriorkis (Gamboa) comes out to fight or dance.”
Editor’s note: This article was originally published at DAZN.com.
With the confidence that came from facing Gervonta Davis in a losing effort back in December, Isaac Cruz is ready to get back on the winning track.
“Pitbull” is scheduled to face former titleholder Yuriorkis Gamboa in a 10-round 135-pound bout on the undercard of Saturday’s Errol Spence Jr.-Yordenis Ugas welterweight title-unification fight on pay-per-view.
The 23-year-old Mexican will be facing an experienced former Cuban Olympian, who will be looking for a victory that will catapult him once again into title contention.
“I will give my best to make it an entertaining fight,” Cruz said in an interview with DAZN News after finishing his training camp in Mexico City. “It’s up to Yuriorkis Gamboa if he comes out to fight or dance.
“We know that he is hardly going to present an aggressive fight, but we are preparing for any kind of fight that Gamboa can give us. Fighting, dancing, or any kind of trickery… we work for all scenarios.”
[lawrence-related id=26608,26598,26548]
Despite a 17-year age difference between the two, Cruz insisted that he is not overconfident and expects the best version of Gamboa to arrive.
“I expect a Yuriorkis with hunger, who will launch himself to recover his career,” Cruz said. “Let’s see if he really wants to continue [in boxing] or his time has passed because I’m in my moment, and I’m going to give my best. …
“I’m not going to give anything away to anyone. I’m going to give my best and conquer Dallas.”
But the goal does not end with a victory over Gamboa. Cruz said he would look for figures like Ryan Garcia, George Kambosos, Devin Haney and even Davis again after this fight.
“The result of the fight against Gervonta gave me a lot of confidence,” he said. “… That’s why I have no problem looking for Ryan again as long as they stop with the circus, as they wanted to do everything through social networks.
“They should get in touch with my company (Manny Pacquiao Promotions). and I have no problem facing any fighter.”
Good, bad, worse: Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz both emerged as winners after their fight on Sunday.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz delivered a competitive, entertaining fight on Sunday. That shouldn’t be lost in any post-fight wrangling over the decision or anything else. And both fighters should be proud of their efforts.
Davis was face to face with a rough character, one who has been aptly described as a mini Mike Tyson. “Tank” withstood Cruz’s relentless pressure, outboxed the Mexican and emerged with a close, but unanimous decision at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
And the southpaw evidently did it with an injured left hand, which he said began to give him problems midway through the fight. His trainer said he suffered the injury in training.
If that’s the case, if he was hampered by a compromised power hand against a beast like Cruz, and still had his hand raised in the end, kudos to him. He deserves credit for a hard-earned victory, which allowed him to maintain his perfect record.
In terms of perception, Davis was a victim of his own success, including knockouts in his previous 16 fights. Falling short of expectations – everyone expected another stoppage – can have the feel of a setback but it shouldn’t.
Davis (26-0, 24 KOs) told me a few days before the fight that he knew he wouldn’t stop every opponent going forward. The goal is to win, however that looks. That’s what he did on Sunday.
“I got the job done,” he said. “We’ll move on.”
What’s next for him? Davis fights in one of the deepest divisions in the sport, led by newly crowned undisputed champion George Kambosos, Devin Haney, Vasiliy Lomachenko, Ryan Garcia and others.
Indeed, Davis has many options. For now, he’ll allow his hand time to heal, commiserate with his handlers and then take the next step. And you can bet he’ll be a better fighter after the stiff test he endured on Sunday.
“I’m happy to be in the position I’m in right now,” he said. “But I feel as though I have a lot more to improve. I feel as though if I keep doing it, there’s no limit.”
BAD
Isaac Cruz had reason to smile after his loss on Sunday. Ryan Hafey / Premier Boxing Champions
Cruz thought he did enough to get the decision but he didn’t seem to be too disheartened after the fight Sunday.
He fell short on the cards – 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113 – but scored points in the hearts of fans, who had to be impressed by his ability to fight on even terms with an opponent who seemed untouchable going into the event.
The 23-year-old Mexican fought in a similar way to Tyson, plowing forward and winging knockout-caliber punches to the head and body that got the attention of Davis and those watching.
Plus, he also was difficult to hit cleanly, which added to the challenge Davis faced. And, when Tank was able to connect, Cruz was never hurt. That’s saying something given the fact Davis is one of the biggest punchers in the sport.
In the end, Cruz walked away with his second loss but the fans saw what they saw, a thrilling brawler who almost took down the lightweight boogeyman on a big, pay-per-view stage. As a result, he went from a fringe figure to a major player in the division over night.
“The eyes of the world were … on this fight,” he said through a translator, “from Europe, to Latin America, to the United States. I showed that this Mexican warrior is here to stay. I showed what people love.
“And even better, [big] things are coming up next.”
Indeed they are.
WORSE
Doctors said Teofimo Lopez was lucky he was killed in his fight with George Kambosos. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing
Teofimo Lopez’s examination results after his loss to George Kambosos on Nov. 27 in New York was about as disturbing as it gets.
Doctors told ESPN that the fighter was lucky to have stepped out of the ring alive given the condition in which he stepped into it. He was determined to be suffering from pneumomediastinum, a condition in which air is present between his chest and lungs.
“He could have died, for sure,” said Dr. Linda Dahl, who believes the air might’ve come from a small tear in his esophagus. “How he breathed, I can’t even explain to you. It’s like somebody tied a 300-pound set of weights around his chest … like his neck and chest were in a vise. That’s how he fought.”
Said Dr. Peter Constantino: “He’s lucky he’s not dead. I mean, really lucky.”
Lopez knew something was wrong the day before the fight, when he experienced shortness of breath and swelling in his neck. His father suggested he see a doctor but, concerned that the fight might be canceled, he refused.
“I thought it was just my asthma,” said Lopez, who kept mum during his pre-fight checkup on Friday. “I fought through asthma before. If I told everybody, they would’ve canceled the fight. But I chose not to, because of the amount of pressure I was under. I didn’t want to hear people say, ‘Oh, another postponement.'”
I don’t know whether officials could’ve done anything to prevent Lopez from entering the ring based on what they knew. And I believe Lopez when he said he thought asthma was causing his discomfort.
I would just hope that fighters would put their well being ahead of boxing. There will be other fights. I also would hope that diligent officials worldwide will take a good look at the facts surrounding Lopez’s condition to determine whether the situation could’ve been avoided.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Floyd Mayweather’s rant about bad judges and ignorant boxing writers after Davis’ victory over Cruz was just more of the same from a fighter-turned-promoter who has always enjoyed fine whine. He covered a lot of bases, though. That included a shot at consensus pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez, who Mayweather defeated by a majority decision in 2013. “I’m going to tell you the truth about Canelo … that m—–f—– was easy, a cake walk. Easy. Y’all are praising this dude. This dude was nothing. I was almost 40 years old when I cooked that dude easy.” Indeed he did. Judge C.J. Ross turned in one of the most disgraceful cards in boxing history, 114-114, but Craig Metcalfe and Dave Moretti had it 117-111 and 116-112 for Mayweather, which I thought was generous to Alvarez. I had it 120-108, a shutout. In fairness to Alvarez, he was only 23 at the time and is a much better fighter today. … It appears that Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-4, 10 KOs) might finish his career as a guy who couldn’t get over the hump. The talented, rugged Ukrainian gave strong efforts against Daniel Jacobs, Gennadiy Golovkin, Jermall Charlo and now Carlos Adames (21-1, 16 KOs) on the Davis-Cruz card but fell just short each time. The 37-year-old Ukrainian is highly respected but he’s 1-4 in his last five fights and hasn’t had his hand raised in 2½ years. Perhaps he’ll get one more shot but the clock is ticking. Meanwhile, Adames’ break-through victory makes him a player at middleweight or possibly junior middleweight. The Dominican looked on Sunday like a threat to anyone…
Sebastian Fundora (18-0-1, 12 KOs) continues to roll even when it isn’t pretty. The 6-foot-6 junior middleweight contender had a tough time against aggressive Sergio Garcia (33-1, 14 KOs) in their 12-rounder on the Davis-Cruz card but ultimately outboxed and outworked the Spaniard to win a unanimous decision. I’m not sure how far “The Towering Inferno” will go but he finds ways to gain advantages over his opponents. I won’t be shocked if he produces an upset or two in the near future. … I don’t have much good to say about YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul beyond his undeniable ability to market himself. However, I have to acknowledge his chutzpah for agreeing to face Tyron Woodley a second time after Tommy Fury pulled out of their Dec. 18 fight because of health issues. Paul almost lost to Woodley in the first fight yet was willing to do it again. Good for him.
Good, bad, worse: Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz both emerged as winners after their fight on Sunday.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz delivered a competitive, entertaining fight on Sunday. That shouldn’t be lost in any post-fight wrangling over the decision or anything else. And both fighters should be proud of their efforts.
Davis was face to face with a rough character, one who has been aptly described as a mini Mike Tyson. “Tank” withstood Cruz’s relentless pressure, outboxed the Mexican and emerged with a close, but unanimous decision at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
And the southpaw evidently did it with an injured left hand, which he said began to give him problems midway through the fight. His trainer said he suffered the injury in training.
If that’s the case, if he was hampered by a compromised power hand against a beast like Cruz, and still had his hand raised in the end, kudos to him. He deserves credit for a hard-earned victory, which allowed him to maintain his perfect record.
In terms of perception, Davis was a victim of his own success, including knockouts in his previous 16 fights. Falling short of expectations – everyone expected another stoppage – can have the feel of a setback but it shouldn’t.
Davis (26-0, 24 KOs) told me a few days before the fight that he knew he wouldn’t stop every opponent going forward. The goal is to win, however that looks. That’s what he did on Sunday.
“I got the job done,” he said. “We’ll move on.”
What’s next for him? Davis fights in one of the deepest divisions in the sport, led by newly crowned undisputed champion George Kambosos, Devin Haney, Vasiliy Lomachenko, Ryan Garcia and others.
Indeed, Davis has many options. For now, he’ll allow his hand time to heal, commiserate with his handlers and then take the next step. And you can bet he’ll be a better fighter after the stiff test he endured on Sunday.
“I’m happy to be in the position I’m in right now,” he said. “But I feel as though I have a lot more to improve. I feel as though if I keep doing it, there’s no limit.”
BAD
Isaac Cruz had reason to smile after his loss on Sunday. Ryan Hafey / Premier Boxing Champions
Cruz thought he did enough to get the decision but he didn’t seem to be too disheartened after the fight Sunday.
He fell short on the cards – 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113 – but scored points in the hearts of fans, who had to be impressed by his ability to fight on even terms with an opponent who seemed untouchable going into the event.
The 23-year-old Mexican fought in a similar way to Tyson, plowing forward and winging knockout-caliber punches to the head and body that got the attention of Davis and those watching.
Plus, he also was difficult to hit cleanly, which added to the challenge Davis faced. And, when Tank was able to connect, Cruz was never hurt. That’s saying something given the fact Davis is one of the biggest punchers in the sport.
In the end, Cruz walked away with his second loss but the fans saw what they saw, a thrilling brawler who almost took down the lightweight boogeyman on a big, pay-per-view stage. As a result, he went from a fringe figure to a major player in the division over night.
“The eyes of the world were … on this fight,” he said through a translator, “from Europe, to Latin America, to the United States. I showed that this Mexican warrior is here to stay. I showed what people love.
“And even better, [big] things are coming up next.”
Indeed they are.
WORSE
Doctors said Teofimo Lopez was lucky he was killed in his fight with George Kambosos. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing
Teofimo Lopez’s examination results after his loss to George Kambosos on Nov. 27 in New York was about as disturbing as it gets.
Doctors told ESPN that the fighter was lucky to have stepped out of the ring alive given the condition in which he stepped into it. He was determined to be suffering from pneumomediastinum, a condition in which air is present between his chest and lungs.
“He could have died, for sure,” said Dr. Linda Dahl, who believes the air might’ve come from a small tear in his esophagus. “How he breathed, I can’t even explain to you. It’s like somebody tied a 300-pound set of weights around his chest … like his neck and chest were in a vise. That’s how he fought.”
Said Dr. Peter Constantino: “He’s lucky he’s not dead. I mean, really lucky.”
Lopez knew something was wrong the day before the fight, when he experienced shortness of breath and swelling in his neck. His father suggested he see a doctor but, concerned that the fight might be canceled, he refused.
“I thought it was just my asthma,” said Lopez, who kept mum during his pre-fight checkup on Friday. “I fought through asthma before. If I told everybody, they would’ve canceled the fight. But I chose not to, because of the amount of pressure I was under. I didn’t want to hear people say, ‘Oh, another postponement.'”
I don’t know whether officials could’ve done anything to prevent Lopez from entering the ring based on what they knew. And I believe Lopez when he said he thought asthma was causing his discomfort.
I would just hope that fighters would put their well being ahead of boxing. There will be other fights. I also would hope that diligent officials worldwide will take a good look at the facts surrounding Lopez’s condition to determine whether the situation could’ve been avoided.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Floyd Mayweather’s rant about bad judges and ignorant boxing writers after Davis’ victory over Cruz was just more of the same from a fighter-turned-promoter who has always enjoyed fine whine. He covered a lot of bases, though. That included a shot at consensus pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez, who Mayweather defeated by a majority decision in 2013. “I’m going to tell you the truth about Canelo … that m—–f—– was easy, a cake walk. Easy. Y’all are praising this dude. This dude was nothing. I was almost 40 years old when I cooked that dude easy.” Indeed he did. Judge C.J. Ross turned in one of the most disgraceful cards in boxing history, 114-114, but Craig Metcalfe and Dave Moretti had it 117-111 and 116-112 for Mayweather, which I thought was generous to Alvarez. I had it 120-108, a shutout. In fairness to Alvarez, he was only 23 at the time and is a much better fighter today. … It appears that Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-4, 10 KOs) might finish his career as a guy who couldn’t get over the hump. The talented, rugged Ukrainian gave strong efforts against Daniel Jacobs, Gennadiy Golovkin, Jermall Charlo and now Carlos Adames (21-1, 16 KOs) on the Davis-Cruz card but fell just short each time. The 37-year-old Ukrainian is highly respected but he’s 1-4 in his last five fights and hasn’t had his hand raised in 2½ years. Perhaps he’ll get one more shot but the clock is ticking. Meanwhile, Adames’ break-through victory makes him a player at middleweight or possibly junior middleweight. The Dominican looked on Sunday like a threat to anyone…
Sebastian Fundora (18-0-1, 12 KOs) continues to roll even when it isn’t pretty. The 6-foot-6 junior middleweight contender had a tough time against aggressive Sergio Garcia (33-1, 14 KOs) in their 12-rounder on the Davis-Cruz card but ultimately outboxed and outworked the Spaniard to win a unanimous decision. I’m not sure how far “The Towering Inferno” will go but he finds ways to gain advantages over his opponents. I won’t be shocked if he produces an upset or two in the near future. … I don’t have much good to say about YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul beyond his undeniable ability to market himself. However, I have to acknowledge his chutzpah for agreeing to face Tyron Woodley a second time after Tommy Fury pulled out of their Dec. 18 fight because of health issues. Paul almost lost to Woodley in the first fight yet was willing to do it again. Good for him.
Gervonta Davis’ team wasn’t pleased with those who suggested that Isaac Cruz pushed the lightweight contender to his limits.
LOS ANGELES – Two of Gervonta Davis’ handlers didn’t appreciate the fact that reporters dared to describe his victory over Isaac Cruz on Sunday as “close” even though it was, well, close.
Floyd Mayweather, his promoter, questioned the competency of the judges – who scored it 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113 in Davis’ favor – and then laid into boxing writers, who he suggested know nothing about the sport.
Davis (26-0, 24 KOs) had stopped his previous 16 opponents.
“Fight judges 75 years old, 80 years old, when it’s time to hang ’em up, hang ’em up.,” he said at the post-fight news conference. “I’m not being biased. If ‘Tank’ got his ass whooped, I would say … he got his ass whooped. Easy fight, from what I saw.
“[Cruz] did come out … four rounds, he could’ve got … but for eight rounds he was getting outboxed.”
The Hall of Famer went on: “I’ve been in that position before, fighting guys like that. If a guy throws a few good shots, a guy may win a couple of rounds. Then it’s not different from [my] Marcos Maidana fight. If a guy wins three, four rounds you say the won the fight.
“They expected Tank to knock this guy out tonight. Since he didn’t knock this guy out, they’ll say he lost. That’s how it works.”
At that moment Davis asked a reporter whether he thought Cruz gave him “a hard time.” The reporter responded, “Yes.” Then Mayweather chimed in again.
“Most of the time you have to teach these so called boxing specialists, boxing journalists about boxing. They really don’t know. Like Roger Mayweather said, may he rest in peace, ‘They don’t know s— about boxing.’
“We’re not saying that [Cruz] wasn’t aggressive. He did throw a few good body shots, a few good head shots in the fight. That comes with the territory. You can’t be the only one throwing all the punches. Then it wouldn’t be a fair fight.”
Then Calvin Ford, Davis’ trainer, expressed his frustration.
“Let me explain something to you all,” he said. “[Davis’] hand got hurt in camp. He never complained about it. He came out here and put on a hell of a show. That’s the bottom line. He fought this kid with one hand. He came in the corner at the sixth round and said his hand was hurting. … I said, ‘I don’t want to hear that.’ I said, ‘Fight through it.’ And he did that.
“Y’all got to give this young man his props.”
Davis said he injured the hand in the sixth round but, to his credit, he didn’t want to dwell on it.
“I wasn’t comfortable fighting a shorter fighter,” he said. “The only thing was when I was throwing my punches, I was hitting him on top of his head. That’s why my hand was hurting so bad. I think that’s why I didn’t get a knockout.
“… I don’t want to put it on my hand. I did what I did. This is about boxing. I knew coming into this fight [that I had to] forget the hand. I did what I had to do.”
Gervonta Davis’ team wasn’t pleased with those who suggested that Isaac Cruz pushed the lightweight contender to his limits.
LOS ANGELES – Two of Gervonta Davis’ handlers didn’t appreciate the fact that reporters dared to describe his victory over Isaac Cruz on Sunday as “close” even though it was, well, close.
Floyd Mayweather, his promoter, questioned the competency of the judges – who scored it 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113 in Davis’ favor – and then laid into boxing writers, who he suggested know nothing about the sport.
Davis (26-0, 24 KOs) had stopped his previous 16 opponents.
“Fight judges 75 years old, 80 years old, when it’s time to hang ’em up, hang ’em up.,” he said at the post-fight news conference. “I’m not being biased. If ‘Tank’ got his ass whooped, I would say … he got his ass whooped. Easy fight, from what I saw.
“[Cruz] did come out … four rounds, he could’ve got … but for eight rounds he was getting outboxed.”
The Hall of Famer went on: “I’ve been in that position before, fighting guys like that. If a guy throws a few good shots, a guy may win a couple of rounds. Then it’s not different from [my] Marcos Maidana fight. If a guy wins three, four rounds you say the won the fight.
“They expected Tank to knock this guy out tonight. Since he didn’t knock this guy out, they’ll say he lost. That’s how it works.”
At that moment Davis asked a reporter whether he thought Cruz gave him “a hard time.” The reporter responded, “Yes.” Then Mayweather chimed in again.
“Most of the time you have to teach these so called boxing specialists, boxing journalists about boxing. They really don’t know. Like Roger Mayweather said, may he rest in peace, ‘They don’t know s— about boxing.’
“We’re not saying that [Cruz] wasn’t aggressive. He did throw a few good body shots, a few good head shots in the fight. That comes with the territory. You can’t be the only one throwing all the punches. Then it wouldn’t be a fair fight.”
Then Calvin Ford, Davis’ trainer, expressed his frustration.
“Let me explain something to you all,” he said. “[Davis’] hand got hurt in camp. He never complained about it. He came out here and put on a hell of a show. That’s the bottom line. He fought this kid with one hand. He came in the corner at the sixth round and said his hand was hurting. … I said, ‘I don’t want to hear that.’ I said, ‘Fight through it.’ And he did that.
“Y’all got to give this young man his props.”
Davis said he injured the hand in the sixth round but, to his credit, he didn’t want to dwell on it.
“I wasn’t comfortable fighting a shorter fighter,” he said. “The only thing was when I was throwing my punches, I was hitting him on top of his head. That’s why my hand was hurting so bad. I think that’s why I didn’t get a knockout.
“… I don’t want to put it on my hand. I did what I did. This is about boxing. I knew coming into this fight [that I had to] forget the hand. I did what I had to do.”
Isaac Cruz said he was surprised that Gervonta Davis was “passive, almost afraid” in their close fight Sunday.
LOS ANGELES — Gervonta Davis was asked again at the post-fight news conference about a possible rematch with Isaac Cruz, who pushed Davis to his limits before losing a close decision Sunday night at Staples Center.
The first time he was asked he said, “Hell no.” The second time he seemed open to the idea … until he reversed course.
“If the fans want it …,” he said and then seemed to back off.
Cruz, speaking through a translator, said he’s baffled by Davis’ stance after the highly competitive bout, in which Cruz pressured Davis from beginning to end.
“I can’t explain it,” said Cruz, who thought he deserved to have his hand raised. “It’s crazy. How did I go from someone he didn’t know at 135 pounds to someone he wants to avoid at all costs for a rematch. It’s absolutely astounding.”
Then he and his promoter offered a reason that Davis might not be interesting in meeting the Mexican a second time.
Cruz was asked whether anything about Davis surprised him.
“That was our best achievement,” he responded. “The surprise was that I had never seen a Gervonta who was so passive, almost afraid, really. We were able to take him out of his comfort zone. So I’m proud we were able to do just that.”
Said Sean Gibbons, speaking for MP Promotions: “I think [Davis is] the smartest guy in the room. He realized who Isaac Cruz was. He tried to intimidate him on numerous occasions, tried to intimidate him at the weigh-in. And all Isaac Cruz did was fighter harder and almost run him out of the ring.”
He added, taking a shot at Davis’ defensive posture at times: “It should be Gervonta Rigondeaux but we’ll go with Davis for now.”
Cruz also said he believes he hurt Davis, saying, “Of course. You know how I know I hurt him? He was trying to grab me when he was hurt. It was evident.
And, finally, Cruz also dismissed the fact that Davis claims to have injured his hand in the sixth round.
“It seems like their excuses are plenty right now,” he said. “I fought with bruised knuckles also but I didn’t make any excuses. I fought the way I fought, he fought the way he fought.
“There shouldn’t be any excuses. The fight was the way it was.”
What’s next for Cruz?
Cruz said he’ll fight anyone. Gibbons said the goal is to get another title shot as soon as possible.
“Basically, he’s still ranked across the board in the Top 10,” he said. “So anybody that we can work our way back up to fighting for a world title. We’ll speak with Al Haymon and PBC and see what’s next.”
