Mexico’s former WBA super-lightweight and current WBC interim super-lightweight champion Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz (28-3-1, with 18 KOs) will face WBA super-featherweight champion Lamont Roach Jr. (25-1, 10 KOs) for the WBC interim super-lightweight crown on Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Frost Bank Center. The chingazos start at 7 pm, and the $74.95 pay-per-view event is available via Amazon Prime and ppv.com.
Pitbull and Roach have something in common: they’re two of only three fighters to go the distance against WBA lightweight titlist Gervonta Davis. In 2021, Pitbull fought him bravely and earned legions of new fans, while Roach earned a controversial draw last March: Davis took a knee in the ninth round after a Roach jab to the forehead, but the referee didn’t consider it a knockdown. Had the ref done so, Roach likely would have won the fight, which ended 115-113 and 114-114 twice in Davis’ favor.
It’s an intriguing matchup between a wild slugger (Pitbull) and a solid boxer-counterpuncher, the latter being the slight favorite.
The Mexican is at a crossroads: he won the WBA super-lightweight title in 2024 after destroying Rolando “Rolly” Romero, but surprisingly lost it in his next fight against José Valenzuela by split decision. In his last two fights, Pitbull earned unanimous decisions but was unable to display the power that made him a fan favorite.
On paper, the undercard looks worth watching:
Middleweights: WBA champ Erislandy Lara (31-3, 19 KOs) will defend his title against dangerous, last-minute replacement Johan González (36-4 with 34 KOs). Lara was originally scheduled for a unification bout against undefeated WBO and IBF champion Janibek Alimkhanuly (17-0, 12 KOs), who had to pull out due to an adverse VADA finding. According to the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency, the banned substance found in Alimkhanuly’s system was meldonium, which “may increase endurance, improve rehabilitation following exercise, and enhance activation of the central nervous system.”
“I have always supported clean sport you know this well (sic),” the boxer wrote on X on December 2. “I was surprised when I read the news. VADA took the first test and said everything was clean. I have not made any changes to my vitamins. I don’t know what happened to the second test, so I requested a retest.”
Also middleweights: Jesús Ramos Jr. (24-1, 19 KOs) will battle Shane Mosley Jr. (22-4,12 KOs) for the interim WBC belt.
Super-featherweights: WBC featherweight champion Stephen Fulton Jr. (23-1, 8 KOs) moves up in weight to challenge WBC super-featherweight titlist (and Orange, Texas native) O’Shaquie Foster (23-3, 12 KOs).
$132.30 and up, 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, Frost Bank Center, 1 Frost Bank Center Drive, ticketmaster.com.
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