Isaac Cruz vs. Lamont Roach: A Controversial Draw
In an intense showdown at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Isaac Cruz managed to keep his WBC interim super-lightweight title, but not without controversy, as he fought Lamont Roach to a majority draw. Cruz, a Mexican boxer known for his ferocity, landed a powerful left hook in the third round, marking the first time he had knocked Roach down in his career.
However, the fight was marred by a point deduction for Cruz in the seventh round due to a foul involving a kidney punch. Statistically, Roach outperformed Cruz in terms of landed punches, with 191 strikes compared to Cruz’s 159 over the 12-round contest. The judges’ scores were split, with two judges assessing the fight as even at 113-113, while the third favored Cruz with a score of 115-111.
Roach expressed his frustration with the results, stating, “All I want is a fair shake, man. I don’t accept this at all. I clearly thought I won a close fight.”
This match resulted in Roach’s second consecutive majority draw this year, following a similar outcome in his bout against Gervonta Davis back in March. Roach emphasized his intention to reevaluate and improve, mentioning, “I don’t know what I got to do. But we’re going to go back to the drawing board.”
Meanwhile, Cruz asserted his belief that he won the fight, attributing the controversy to the referee’s decisions. He expressed a desire for a rematch, insisting that he would require a different referee for a fairer outcome.
O’Shaquie Foster’s Title Victory
Earlier in the evening, O’Shaquie Foster captured the WBC interim lightweight title with a decisive majority decision over Stephen Fulton. This bout was supposed to defend Foster’s WBC super-featherweight title, but Fulton weighed in two pounds over the limit prior to the fight. Foster outshined Fulton, earning scores of 117-111, 118-110, and 119-109 from the judges.
With this victory, Foster has positioned himself as the mandatory challenger to the winner of the anticipated fight between WBO light-welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez and Shakur Stevenson scheduled for January 31.
Erislandy Lara’s Successful Title Defense
In another bout of the night, Erislandy Lara successfully defended his WBA middleweight title against Johan Gonzalez, scoring two knockdowns throughout the match. The judges scored this contest decisively in Lara’s favor with scores of 118-108, 119-107, and 120-106, demonstrating his control in the ring despite it being his first fight since his win over Danny Garcia in September 2024.
