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On December 6, live from the Frost Bank Centre in San Antonio, Texas, Mexico’s Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz (28-3-1, 18 KOs) fights Washington, DC’s Lamont “The Reaper” Roach (25-1-2 10 KOs).
The two 140-pounders will be contesting for the WBC (interim) super lightweight title, currently held by Cruz, who picked up the belt last July in Las Vegas, beating Omar Gamez.
Style-wise, many people are predicting this fight could produce serious fireworks with both fighters being very comfortable in close, looking to land hard counter shots.
Cruz and Roach share a common opponent in Gervonta Davis. Cruz took the undefeated Davis the distance in 2021 in what many called his toughest fight to date. Not to be outdone, Roach had a D12 this past March against Davis to give him the only blemish on his otherwise perfect 30-0 (28 KOs) record.
Common opponents aside, it’s the style of each fighter that should make this one a great fight.
Strong and stocky, Cruz is all offence, all night. You don’t have to look for him in the ring. He works off a ‘seek and destroy’ style that sees him work the head and body in close and often.
Roach is probably more of a mover, but not by much. He’ll stand in the kitchen and welcome the heat as he showed against Davis, landing hard counter shots after Gervonta was in the pocket, throwing. Reverse is not a gear Roach engages much, and that is good news for fight fans and Cruz’s style.
As well as a scorcher of a main event, the undercard will feature 3 exciting world championship bouts, including WBA middleweight world champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara (31-3-3, 19 KOs) against WBO and IBF middleweight world champion Janibek Alimkhanuly (17-0, 12 KOs). Also, two-division world champion Stephen Fulton, Jr. (23-1, 8 KOs) takes on two-time WBC super featherweight world champion O’Shaquie “Ice Water” Foster (23-3, 12 KOs).
Available in the U.S. and Canada, the PPV.COM live stream will kick off at 8:00 p.m. ET, with a 12-round bout between Arizona’s Jesus Alejandro “El Mono” Ramos, Jr. (23-1, 19 KOs), and Las Vegas’ Shane Mosley, Jr. (22-4, 12 KOs) battling for the vacant WBC interim middleweight world title.
A fighter that knows the 140-pound landscape is former world champion and current PPV.COM analyst Chris Algieri. He was undefeated at 140 pounds in his outstanding career and faced a Hall of Fame list in the 140–147-pound division in Conor Benn, Amir Khan, Manny Pacquiao, Ruslan Provodnikov, and Errol Spence Jr., among others.
Algieri will be co-hosting the exclusive, popular viewer chat in real time, throughout the PPV.COM Cruz – Roach world championship event HD live stream.
Joining Chris will be popular podcast host Dan Canobbio. Chris and Dan will also be providing exclusive fight week commentary and reports for PPV.COM’s website and social platforms.
MaxBoxing caught up with Huntington, New York-native Algieri to chat about what fans are anticipating as a great fight.
“It’s an intriguing fight for sure. You have Pitbull who comes at you with that 2 fisted attack. You have Roach who has that east coast, Maryland, Baltimore, slick style, hit and don’t get hit; the sweet science”, said Algieri.
Algieri, an outstanding boxer in his time, knows that boxing at the championship level is all about styles and who can dictate their style in the ring.
“It’s a matter of who can control that real estate. If Isaac wants to load up, which he will, Lamont has to be ready to counter. He has to hit and then make his move out of the way”, he said. “Lamont has to disrupt that forward motion from Cruz”.
Pressed for a prediction, Algieri again reiterated that it would come down to who can dictate the style and pace of the fight.
“I think Lamont Roach has all the tools to give Pitbull all kinds of problems. But he has to slow the pace and hit him with something coming in to make him respect him”, said Algieri. “Isaac wants to be fast, rush in, an in- close style and dictate the pace”.
While he didn’t make a definitive call, the former world champion leaned towards the style of Roach to get the win but he insisted he had to be on point all night because Cruz will bring power from first to last bell.
“There has to be that line and the minute that Isaac crosses it Lamont has to be ready to disrupt him with a hard jab, a counter, to not let Cruz get in close where he can be a problem”, continued Algieri. “He has to disrupt that forward motion”.
What can the Pitbull do to have success?
“Isaac can be a bit of a one trick pony. But if you let him get close and let his hands go he can be a real problem, he is strong, aggressive and relentless. But, I do think Roach has all the tools – angles, jab, decent power, everything he needs to disrupt Cruz’s attack”, he said. “At the end of the day it is always about who can control the real estate in the ring”, said Algieri.
