WBA #5 super lightweight Jose “El Rayo” Valenzuela (14-2, 9 KOs) defeated and dethroned WBA world champion Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz (26-3-1, 18 KOs) by twelve round split decision on Saturday night at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Cruz pressed the action, but Valenzuela had success outboxing Cruz from the outside. Scores were 116-112, 116-112 Valenzuela, 115-113 Cruz. Cruz surrenders the title in his first world title defense.
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Cruz was robbed
No way. Valenzuela had a great game plan. Nice counters to Cruz’s wild shots. Sure, Cruz landed a few hear and there, but Valenzuela walked Cruz into some beautiful counters. Cruz had no jab, and no other game plan than hands high, walk forward. Cruz got outmaneuvered and outscored. Btw, I’m am a pitbull fan. But he was so predictable in this fight, I just can’t see any way that he won this fight.
Ike out….
Bad decision. Lots of circling and pitty-pat by Valenzuela. Big shots were by Cruz.
Rayo won easily
That’s an argument that can be made, but Cruz was outboxes for more than half of the fight. He expected Valenzuela to cave in from the pressure and did not have a plan B once A didn’t happen. There’s always a rematch.
Cruz won but whatever. Congrats to the new champion. Let’s get the rematch and maybe even the trilogy.
Valenzuela sets the blue print to beat Isaac Cruz. A lackluster performance by Cruz, IMO
Giovanni Cabrera developed the blueprint to defeat Pitbull
Another boxer-counter puncher outpointing a one dimensional pressure fighter.
Valenzuela counter puncher???
He just fought walking backwards since Cruz applied the pressure
I thought pitbull was going to win.
El Rayo had good strategies and pitbull didn’t have plan b or c
I thought Cruz clearly won 116-112 or 115-113 at worst. Another bad decision.
Whoever thought Cruz won needs their head examined. It wasn’t that close. Cruz missed most of his punches, and when they did land they haf little effect. Great ring generalship by Rayo. Landed the cleaner blows too. I just don’t see how you can come up with a win for Cruz. The split decision was a surprise to me. It wasn’t a tough fight to score unless you like ineffective aggression.
Cruz was the champ therefore rayo needed to be the agressor but instead he was moving back and fighting not to lose rather than to win… As the champ, Cruz needed to be given the victory!!!!
“As the champ, Cruz needed to be given the victory”
– No.
– Each round is scored.
– Doesn’t matter who the champ is or not.
– Take care.
– Gary G.
Valenzuela won by trying to stay off the ropes; using a right hook to offset Cruz’s approaches; throwing uppercuts; hitting Cruz’s body; using a decent defense; and not getting discouraged by Cruz’s pressure.
For future fights, Valenzuela must work on keeping his chin tucked, stepping into his jabs and keeping his head off the line.
Congrats to Valenzuela for winning a tough fight because Cruz is scary movie.
Previously it was written whether Valenzuela deserved this title fight or not, now it is written whether he won or not.
An improvement I suppose.
Sure Valenzuela went and poked some with his jab, but not only that, he varied it with hard punches to both the body and head, sometimes combos, slipping away nicely as Cruz attacked, good counter punches and that jab that irritated Cruz like a mosquito keeping you awake all night.
I didn’t think Cruz got into his flow, he couldn’t get his boxing plan together, although of course he had his moments.
Honestly, Cruz became too predictable and Valenzuela took advantage of that.
A new champion. Hats off for a well executed fight. Congratulations.
Someone get in there and KO the Eminem show, this is terrible. That, anthems, a guy winning a car, way too much of a wait.
too much Saudi PR party.
Anyway one more champion for Mexico
I called this one wrong. Valenzuela fought right out of the book by boxing against a puncher. Each round was a carbon copy of the next. That was the sweet science on full display.
People will obviously be divided on the decision based on what you like to see in the ring.
Both fighters got through without major damage and they gave everyone a great show. I vote yes for a rematch. Man, that was good for the boxing purists.
This main event is stinking the place out. Everyone is booing & whistling at this posturing garbage. Did anyone tell Madrimov he’s allowed to punch? What an awful fight so far!!!
Congrats to Jose. Cruz a tough opponent. I will always hold Cruz in high regard though because he knocked the hell out that joke of a fighter, overrated Romero.
Isaac “I miss 99% of my punches” Cruz. WTF
Cruz was aggressive but it wasn’t all that effective. V wasn’t as busy but his punches were much more effective. Cruz started believing his own PR dept.
That stadium must have been full of Casuals or Eminem fans cause they clearly don’t know how to appreciate the boxing clinic Rayo put on display in beating Pitbull
Great focus and way to put in play the game plan by Rayo
Pitbulls power can still give him a chance to with via the KO at any second literally
Rayo understood that and kept his composure to not get too in olved in an exchange
good fight and fight plan by rayo. rematch should be in order though.
I was impressed with Velenzuela`s body work, although cruz was pressuring. People here seem to think that a fighter just coming forward is winning, you still have to connect with punches, and cruz was missing all night with his wild shots, and being countered. If you had to be the bigger puncher to win, then the likes of Ali would never have won. It is the man who lands the most in every round that should win, and that was definitely. Velenzuela. I actually think he might even stop him if there is a return.