Good, bad, worse: Andy Ruiz Jr. gave uninspiring, but effective performance

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.

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Good, bad, worse: Andy Ruiz Jr. gave uninspiring, but effective performance

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.

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Photos: Andy Ruiz Jr.’s unanimous decision victory over Luis Ortiz

Photos: Andy Ruiz Jr.’s unanimous decision victory over Luis Ortiz.

Andy Ruiz Jr. took a step toward fighting for another heavyweight title when he defeated Luis Ortiz by a unanimous decision Sunday in Los Angeles.

Ruiz put Ortiz down three times, which proved to be the difference in the fight.

Here are images from the action. All photos by Harry How of Getty Images.

Watch: Andy Ruiz Jr’s first knockdown of Luis Ortiz from ringside angle

Watch: Andy Ruiz Jr’s first knockdown of Luis Ortiz from ringside angle.

Andy Ruiz Jr. put Cuban veteran Luis Ortiz down three times, which proved to be the difference in their fight on Sunday in Los Angeles.

Ruiz won a unanimous decision, 114-111, 114-111 and 113-112.

Here is a look at the first knockdown from a ringside perspective.

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Watch: Andy Ruiz Jr’s first knockdown of Luis Ortiz from ringside angle

Watch: Andy Ruiz Jr’s first knockdown of Luis Ortiz from ringside angle.

Andy Ruiz Jr. put Cuban veteran Luis Ortiz down three times, which proved to be the difference in their fight on Sunday in Los Angeles.

Ruiz won a unanimous decision, 114-111, 114-111 and 113-112.

Here is a look at the first knockdown from a ringside perspective.

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Andy Ruiz Jr. uses three knockdowns to get past crafty Luis Ortiz

Andy Ruiz Jr. used three knockdowns to defeat a crafty Luis Ortiz by a unanimous decision Sunday in Los Angeles.

Andy Ruiz Jr. didn’t deliver a memorable performance but he got the job done against Luis Ortiz.

The former heavyweight champ put Ortiz down three times en route to winning a unanimous decision in a 12-round bout on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The scores were 114-111, 114-111 and 113-112, meaning the busier Ortiz won six rounds on two cards and seven on the third. However, the 43-year-old Cuban ultimately couldn’t overcome the knockdowns.

The victory in what was billed as a WBC title eliminator could set up a fight between Ruiz and Deontay Wilder, another former champ, if Wilder defeats Robert Helenius on Oct. 15. That’s the fight Ruiz wants.

“God willing he wins. Me and him are in the same organization,” he said. “I want to thank (manager) Al Haymon. He can make this fight happen. Lets do it, let’s get it on.”

Ruiz (35-2, 22 KOs) hadn’t fought since May of last year, when he outpointed Chris Arreola in his first fight after losing his rematch with Anthony Joshua.

However, rust didn’t appear to be his biggest problem against Ortiz (33-3, 28 KOs). And it wasn’t his weight. He was hefty, as usual, but he obviously put in the work during training camp.

No, it was the Cuban’s southpaw stance – Ruiz had never faced a left-hander as a professional — and his boxing ability that made things difficult for Ruiz.

Ruiz’s strategy was to box carefully and wait for Ortiz to engage, at which time he would unload counter punches. That approach resulted in the knockdowns from right-handed punches, two in the second round and one in the seventh.

The problem for Ruiz is that Ortiz didn’t engage much. Instead, he fought from the outside, where he scored with his long jab and enough straight lefts to win rounds and generally limit Ruiz’s activity.

It was a good game plan that would’ve worked had Ortiz been able to remain on his feet.

The result was a disappointing fight for fans who expected something akin to a brawl between two big punchers. That aside, Ruiz will take victories over established contenders any way they come. He was elated after the scoring was announced.

Ruiz was asked afterward about fighting a southpaw for the first time.

“It was pretty difficult,” he said. “The ability I have, me counter punching and waiting for him to load up, me countering and dropping him, it was a blessing.”

Wilder was interviewed in the ring after the fight. He wouldn’t commit to fighting Ruiz if he beats Helenius but he certainly is open to it.

“Deontay Wilder is back,” he said. “He’s always look for great, exciting fights. That’s what he loves to give the fans. So if that’s what’s lined up next. I gotta handle business. After that, we can get it on.”

Meanwhile, Ortiz, his left eye almost closed, implied that he doesn’t plan to call it quits after his solid performance. In fact, he seemed shocked that someone would ask him whether he’s finished.

“Do you think I’m done?” he said. “You saw a warrior tonight. What do the people want? Do you think I’m done?”

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Andy Ruiz Jr. uses three knockdowns to get past crafty Luis Ortiz

Andy Ruiz Jr. used three knockdowns to defeat a crafty Luis Ortiz by a unanimous decision Sunday in Los Angeles.

Andy Ruiz Jr. didn’t deliver a memorable performance but he got the job done against Luis Ortiz.

The former heavyweight champ put Ortiz down three times en route to winning a unanimous decision in a 12-round bout on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The scores were 114-111, 114-111 and 113-112, meaning the busier Ortiz won six rounds on two cards and seven on the third. However, the 43-year-old Cuban ultimately couldn’t overcome the knockdowns.

The victory in what was billed as a WBC title eliminator could set up a fight between Ruiz and Deontay Wilder, another former champ, if Wilder defeats Robert Helenius on Oct. 15. That’s the fight Ruiz wants.

“God willing he wins. Me and him are in the same organization,” he said. “I want to thank (manager) Al Haymon. He can make this fight happen. Lets do it, let’s get it on.”

Ruiz (35-2, 22 KOs) hadn’t fought since May of last year, when he outpointed Chris Arreola in his first fight after losing his rematch with Anthony Joshua.

However, rust didn’t appear to be his biggest problem against Ortiz (33-3, 28 KOs). And it wasn’t his weight. He was hefty, as usual, but he obviously put in the work during training camp.

No, it was the Cuban’s southpaw stance – Ruiz had never faced a left-hander as a professional — and his boxing ability that made things difficult for Ruiz.

Ruiz’s strategy was to box carefully and wait for Ortiz to engage, at which time he would unload counter punches. That approach resulted in the knockdowns from right-handed punches, two in the second round and one in the seventh.

The problem for Ruiz is that Ortiz didn’t engage much. Instead, he fought from the outside, where he scored with his long jab and enough straight lefts to win rounds and generally limit Ruiz’s activity.

It was a good game plan that would’ve worked had Ortiz been able to remain on his feet.

The result was a disappointing fight for fans who expected something akin to a brawl between two big punchers. That aside, Ruiz will take victories over established contenders any way they come. He was elated after the scoring was announced.

Ruiz was asked afterward about fighting a southpaw for the first time.

“It was pretty difficult,” he said. “The ability I have, me counter punching and waiting for him to load up, me countering and dropping him, it was a blessing.”

Wilder was interviewed in the ring after the fight. He wouldn’t commit to fighting Ruiz if he beats Helenius but he certainly is open to it.

“Deontay Wilder is back,” he said. “He’s always look for great, exciting fights. That’s what he loves to give the fans. So if that’s what’s lined up next. I gotta handle business. After that, we can get it on.”

Meanwhile, Ortiz, his left eye almost closed, implied that he doesn’t plan to call it quits after his solid performance. In fact, he seemed shocked that someone would ask him whether he’s finished.

“Do you think I’m done?” he said. “You saw a warrior tonight. What do the people want? Do you think I’m done?”

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Isaac Cruz brutally knocks out Eduardo Ramirez in second round

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.

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Isaac Cruz brutally knocks out Eduardo Ramirez in second round

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.

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Abner Mares has to settle for draw with Miguel Flores in return from four-year hiatus

Abner Mares had to settle for a draw with Miguel Flores in his return to the ring after four-year hiatus Saturday in Los Angeles.

Abner Mares didn’t get the result he had hoped for in his comeback after four years away from the sport.

The former three-division titleholder and Miguel Flores fought to a majority draw in a 10-round lightweight bout on the Andy Ruiz Jr.-Luis Ortiz card Saturday in Los Angeles.

One judges scored it for Mares, 96-94. The other two had it 95-95.

Mares (31-3-2, 15 KOs) got off to a quick start, particularly in a dominating Round 3. In that frame he landed one overhand right after another and seemed to hurt Flores (25-4-1, 13 KOs).

At that moment it seemed as if Mares would deliver a sensational performance.

However, inexplicably, he shifted into a stick-and-move-and-hold mode beginning in Round 4, which gave the more aggressive Flores a chance to climb back into the fight.

Flores seemed to outwork Mares in the second half of the fight to pull even with him on the cards.

Still, Mares thought he did enough to get the nod.

“Obviously it had been over four years, so I was a little off with my timing and a little sluggish,” he said. “But I felt good, and I thought I was landing the more powerful shots throughout.”

Added the Los Angeles-area resident: “After four years away I did enough to beat a young kid and an active fighter. My performance speaks for itself. The crowd was happy and it felt good to be home.

“I definitely felt like I won, but it is what it is. The judges saw a draw.”

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