by Keith Idec
ISAAC CRUZ stays assured that public demand for his second combat in opposition to Gervonta Davis will finally change into extra vital than his shut loss to Jose Valenzuela in Cruz’s most up-to-date motion.
That course of will start for Cruz on February 1, when the ferocious fighter nicknamed “Pitbull” will meet countryman Angel Fierro in a Mexican showdown on the David Benavidez-David Morrell Jr. undercard at T-Cell Enviornment in Las Vegas. Cruz and his supervisor, Sean Gibbons, are satisfied a powerful efficiency from Cruz will put him again on monitor to safe a coveted rematch versus Davis.
“Ultimately, with time, the combat will come,” Cruz advised Boxing Information earlier than a press convention Tuesday in Mexico Metropolis to advertise his combat with Fierro. “Proper now, I’m gonna be centered on Fierro.”
Mexico Metropolis’s Cruz is usually thought of the hardest opponent of Davis’ profession.
Cruz (26-3-1, 18 KOs) misplaced a unanimous resolution to Davis, however the relentlessly aggressive challenger examined the highly effective southpaw and ended his 16-fight knockout streak in December 2021 at Staples Middle in Los Angeles. Davis defeated Cruz on the playing cards of judges Zachary Younger (116-112), Carla Caiz (115-113) and Max De Luca (115-113).
Nearly three years to the day later, Davis additionally participated in a press convention Tuesday at Barclays Middle in Brooklyn to formally announce his upcoming bout with Lamont Roach. Baltimore’s Davis (30-0, 28 KOs) is scheduled to defend his WBA light-weight title in opposition to Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs) in the primary occasion of a PBC Pay-Per-View present March 1 at Barclays Middle.
“You understand in boxing one sensational win places you again from being within the outhouse to the penthouse,” Gibbons mentioned. “So, a sensational win in opposition to Fierro opens up all of the doorways once more [for a Davis rematch], for positive.”
Valenzuela (14-2, 9 KOs), a Mexican-born southpaw who resides in Renton, Washington, principally employed a protected technique on his technique to conquering Cruz by cut up resolution of their 12-round combat for Cruz’s WBA tremendous light-weight title August 3 on the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov undercard at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Judges Rudy Barragan (116-112) and Pat Russell (116-112) scored eight rounds apiece for Valenzuela, who misplaced seven rounds in keeping with decide Edward Hernandez Sr. (115-113).
In his prior look, Cruz stopped Rolando “Rolly” Romero (16-2, 13 KOs) within the eighth spherical to win the WBA 140-pound championship from Romero final March 30 at T-Cell Enviornment. Davis beforehand knocked out Romero within the sixth spherical of their grudge match, which passed off in Could 2022 at Barclays Middle.
Cruz doesn’t sense Roach is able to upsetting Davis, who opened as a 16-1 favourite over Tijuana’s Fierro (22-2-2, 17 KOs). If Cruz and Davis win their fights, that are scheduled to happen 4 weeks aside, Gibbons expects to re-establish loads of momentum for his or her rematch.
“The general public solely asks for Gervonta,” Gibbons mentioned. “Irrespective of the place we’re at, irrespective of the place Isaac is, he runs into all types of black individuals and so they’re like, ‘Hey, when will you combat Gervonta?’ He’s strolling down the road and the FedEx man hollers out the window, ‘When will you combat Tank?’ I’ve seen it. There’s such a requirement for that combat. Gervonta is aware of that was the hardest combat of his life. That’s why he don’t need none of that smoke.”
