On a stacked card headlined by Terence “Bud” Crawford vs. Israel Madrimov, one potential fight of the night: Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz defends his WBA super-lightweight world title against Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela.
The event will take place on Saturday night, August 3, at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles and will air live on DAZN PPV. Pitbull Cruz is coming off a win that made him world champion, and Rayo Valenzuela's last match was the playoff match of the year.
In December 2021, Isaac Cruz gained notoriety when he lost to Gervonta “Tank” Davis in a very competitive fight. After two straight victories, Cruz made a career low in a split decision victory over Giovanni Cabrera.
On March 30, 2024, Isaac Cruz accomplished the goal of a lifetime when he faced Rolando “Rolly” Romero. In the opening round, Cruz was aggressive, as Romero didn't know how to defend against the relentless pressure.
During the fight, Cruz has been hitting Rolly Romero with devastating power shots. Romero was seriously injured in the eighth round when the referee intervened and stopped the contest.
With the victory, Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz (26-2-1, 18 KOs) became the new WBA super-lightweight world champion. On Saturday night, Cruz will defend his title against a tough opponent.
Jose Valenzuela was undefeated when he faced Edwin De Los Santos in September 2022. With 1:14 left in the second round, the Venezuelan landed a counter left hook that sent De Los Santos to the canvas.
Thirty seconds later, De Los Santos hit the ground running for Venezuela. In the third round of the fight, De Los Santos scored a second knockdown, and after Valenzuela got up, De Los Santos continued to land powerful shots as the referee stepped in to stop the fight.
Jose Valenzuela will go on to face Chris Colbert in his next fight. In the first 30 seconds of the opening round, Valenzuela landed a big left hook that sent Colbert down to the canvas.
It appeared that Venezuela had done enough to win the fight, but Chris Colbert was handed a controversial decision at the end of the 10-round contest. Nine months later, in the 6th round of their rematch, Valenzuela landed a solid right hand that knocked Colbert out cold.
Fresh off his reel form, Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela (13-2, 9 KOs) will make his first attempt at a world title. Pitbull Cruz Vs. Rayo Valenzuela is a fight between two strong boxers, and many expect it to end in a knockout.
Jose Valenzuela will look to control the range and distance of the whistle by fighting on the back foot and suit Cruz up against some opposition teams. Timing, pace, and energy will be important for Rayo Valenzuela.
The biggest concern for 25-year-old Jose Valenzuela is his lack of defense. Valenzuela is there to be beaten, and on top of that, Pitbull Cruz is a fighter who is always in good shape and ready to push forward and attack during the fight.
Standing at 5 ft 4, 26-year-old Isaac Cruz uses a strong guard, which allows him to fight off the front foot and shoot. Because the Cruz is so compact, it's hard to find a target to hit. The only way Cruz opens up a counter is if he misses an overhand right.
Terence Crawford vs Israel Madrimov is the main attraction, but due to the punching power and aggressive nature of both Pitbull Cruz and Rayo Valenzuela, this fight card could be the fight of the night.
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