Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz is downplaying his latest loss to Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela, viewing him as a runner from their combat final summer time on August third in Los Angeles. Rayo, who some have labeled because the ‘Mexican Loma,‘ outboxed Pitbull Cruz (26-3-1, 18 KOs), beating him by a 12-round break up determination.
Pitbull Cruz wasn’t concerned with trying to avenge the loss to Rayo as a result of he didn’t wish to “waste time” with the prolonged negotiation cope with him working a “Marathon” once more.
Listening to Cruz, one might inform that he was nonetheless disturbed about his defeat, and it bothered him that Rayo didn’t wish to stand within the pocket to slug it out. Rayo was once a brawler, however after his third-round loss to Edwin De Los Santos on September 4, 2022, he modified his combating type, adopting the Vasily Lomachenko method. He’s performed a superb job of mimicking how he fights.
Pitbull Cruz vs. Rayo Valenzuela Punch Stats
– Valenzuela: 171 of 516 for 33%
– Cruz: 118 of 521 for 23%
Sadly for Cruz, that type Rayo makes use of will not be unusual at 140, and he should learn to defeat it to reach that weight class. If Cruz doesn’t learn to cope with slick boxers, he’ll endure losses to fighters like Richardson Hitchins, Devin Haney, Jack Catterall, and Arnold Barboza Jr.
Cruz, 26, will probably be returning to the ring in a light-weight welterweight contest in opposition to Angel Fierro (22-2-2, 17 KOs) on February 1st on the undercard of David Benavidez vs. David Morrell occasion on PBC on Prime Video PPV on the T-Cell Enviornment in Las Vegas. Fierro is a pure slugger, and it must be proper up Cruz’s alley that he has a dance accomplice who will stand and combat.
Marathon Man
“There are issues I’m trying to change to have some new choices within the subsequent combat,” mentioned Isaac Cruz to Struggle Hub TV about getting back from his loss to Rayo Valenzuela for his subsequent match in opposition to Angel Fierro.
“I don’t wish to waste time. It’s a protracted negotiation as a result of they’ve their very own bother. I don’t perceive, however I don’t wish to waste extra time,” mentioned ‘Pitbull’ Cruz when requested why he selected to not pursue a rematch with Jose Valenzuela.
“Do you like to see actual fights or see somebody working and doing marathons across the ring?” mentioned Cruz, taking a verbal shot on the slick boxing type that Rayo makes use of. “You need to make punches. For those who’re not making punches, it’s not boxing. We stay to punch and combat. We don’t like working. So, I believe they [Team Rayo Valenzuela] are engaged on working relatively than on punching.”
The 5’5″ Cruz isn’t going to have the ability to match the boxing means of the extra expert fighters at 140, however he can discover success if he learns to make use of these techniques:
- Minimize off the ring higher
- Struggle by the clinch
- Use his jab
- Throw extra mixtures
“I really feel higher bodily and mentally. I do know I’m going to present the general public a extremely good combat [against Fierro on February 1st]. Sure, 140,” mentioned Cruz about what weight his combat with Fierro will probably be at. I’m comfy in each of them [lightweight and light welterweight], however now I’m extra comfy to be at 140. “If there’s a great combat at 135, I’ll combat at 135.”
Life received’t be any simpler for Pitbull Cruz if he returns to the light-weight division as a result of the highest contenders and champions in that weight class are slick and may punch. He would have issues even in opposition to the brawlers at 135, like William Zepeda.
“I don’t care in opposition to who. I’ll ask Sean Gibbons if it’s a great combat, and if I might do nicely, I’ll return to 135. 135 with Tank Davis, it’s no downside. If he needs 135, we are going to go down,” mentioned Cruz.
