by Keith Idec
ISAAC CRUZ remains convinced that the public demand for his second fight against Gervonta Davis will ultimately become more important than his loss to Jose Valenzuela in Cruz’s most recent action.
That process will begin for Cruz on February 1 when the ferocious fighter nicknamed “Pitbull” meets compatriot Angel Fierro in a Mexican bout on the David Benavidez-David Morrell Jr. undercard. at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Cruz and his manager, Sean Gibbons, are confident that an impressive performance from Cruz will put him back on track to secure a coveted rematch against Davis.
“Eventually, in time, the fight will come,” Cruz told Boxing News ahead of a press conference Tuesday in Mexico City to promote his fight with Fierro. “Right now, I’ll focus on Fierro.”
Mexico City’s Cruz is usually considered the toughest opponent of Davis’ career.
Cruz (26-3-1, 18 KOs) lost a unanimous decision to Davis, but the relentlessly aggressive challenger tested the powerful southpaw and ended his 16-fight knockout streak in December 2021 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Davis defeated Cruz on the cards of judges Zachary Young (116-112), Carla Keyes (115-113) and Max De Luca (115-113).
Nearly three years later, Davis also took part in a press conference Tuesday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn to officially announce his upcoming fight with Lamont Roach. Baltimore’s Davis (30-0, 28 KOs) is scheduled to defend his WBA lightweight title against Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs) in the main event of a PBC Pay-Per-View broadcast on March 1 at Barclays Center.
“You know in boxing an impressive win brings you back from being in the penthouse,” Gibbons said. “So an impressive win against Fierro opens all the doors again (for a Davis rematch), for sure.”
Valenzuela (14-2, 9 KOs), a Mexican-born southpaw who resides in Renton, Wash., used a mostly safe strategy on his way to defeating Cruz by split decision in their 12-round title fight Cruz’s WBA super lightweight on Aug. 3 on the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov undercard at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Judges Rudy Barragan (116-112) and Pat Russell (116-112) each scored eight rounds for Valenzuela, who lost seven rounds according to judge Edward Hernandez Sr. (115-113).
In his previous appearance, Cruz stopped Rolando “Rolly” Romero (16-2, 13 KOs) in the eighth round to win the WBA 140-pound championship from Romero last March on March 30 at the T-Mobile Arena. Davis had previously knocked out Romero in the sixth round of their grudge fight, which took place in May 2022 at the Barclays Center.
Cruz doesn’t feel Roach is capable of upsetting Davis, who opened as a 16-1 favorite over Tijuana’s Fierro (22-2-2, 17 KOs). If Cruz and Davis win their fights, which are scheduled to take place four weeks apart, Gibbons expects to restore enough momentum for their rematch.
“The public is just asking for Gervonta,” Gibbons said. “No matter where we are, wherever Isaac is, he meets all kinds of black people and they’re like, ‘Hey, when are you going to fight Jervoda?’ He’s walking down the street and the FedEx guy yells out the window, “When are you going to fight Tank?” I’ve seen it. There is such a demand for this match. Gervonta knows it was the toughest fight of his life. That’s why he doesn’t want any of that smoke.”
