Cruz Vs Roach Ends In Controversial Draw

WBC Interim light welterweight champion Isaac “Pit Bull” Cruz, 28-3-2 (18) fought to a 12-round majority draw with Lamont Roach, Jr. (25-1-3 (10) on Saturday night at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.

In the first round, it was close with Cruz the aggressor. Roach landed a left hook, knocking Cruz off balance in the final minute. In the second round again, it was close.

In the third round, a left hook from Cruz drove Roach across the ring, causing referee James Green to give him an 8-count. In the fourth round, Cruz landed a low blow, getting warned. He came back, landing double left hooks to the body and head of Roach.

In the fifth round, Roach is holding his own in a close fight. In the sixth round, it was another close one with both landing left hooks to the chin. In the seventh round, with a minute remaining, referee Green took a point from Cruz for another low blow.

In the eighth round, Roach outworked Cruz. In the ninth round, Cruz had a small cut outside of his right eye from left hooks by Roach, who outworked him. In the tenth round, Roach continues outlanding Cruz.

In the eleventh round’s final seconds, they exchanged punches, with Roach having an edge. In the twelfth and final round, it was close, but Roach took the round with his hand speed.

The scores were 115-111 Cruz, 113-113, and 113-113.

In the co-main event, WBC World super featherweight champion “Ice Water” Shaquie Foster (24-3 (12) won a lopsided 12-round unanimous decision over WBC World Featherweight champion Stephen “Cool Boy Steph” Fulton (23-2 (8) to win the WBC interim lightweight title.

In the first round, Fulton came in overweight, so he couldn’t win the title. He outlanded Foster in the round. In the second round, Fulton had the edge. In the third, Foster came back out working on Fulton.

In the fourth through the sixth rounds, Foster turned southpaw, having an edge. In the seventh round, Fulton only landed one punch. In the ninth, Foster turned back to orthodox, taking another round.

In the tenth round, it was all Foster, even when Fulton landed first, Foster countered him. In the eleventh round, Foster went back to southpaw dominating. In the twelfth and final round, Foster continued his winning ways with an easy win.

The scores were 117-111, 118-110, and 119-109. Jon Schorle was the referee.

Jesus “El Mono” Alejandro Ramos, Jr. (24-1 (19) beat Shane Mosley, Jr. (22-5 (12) by a 12-round unanimous decision to win the WBC Interim Middleweight title.

In the first two rounds, Mosley outworked Ramos except for taking a right hook to the chin near the end of the round. In the third round, Ramos’s hands held high don’t prevent Mosley from hitting him in the face. Ramos rocked Mosley with a left to the chin in the first minute, while Mosley continued working him.

In the fourth round, Ramos rocked Mosley with a right hook midway in the round, taking the round. In the fifth round’s final minute, Mosley rocked Ramos with a right on the chin. In the sixth round, Mosley landed more punches than in any of the previous rounds.

In the seventh round, Ramos used his jab to take the round. In the eighth round, both have their moments with Ramos landing a pair of lefts on the chin with a minute remaining. In the ninth round, Mosley landed a chopping right as Ramos countered with a left of his own in the best round of the fight so far.

In the tenth round, it was a big round for Ramos.

In the eleventh round’s midway point, Ramos countered Mosley with a left on the chin. Mosley came back well, but not enough to take the round. In the twelfth and final round, both let it all hang out with Mosley rocking Ramos with a right in the final minute, but Ramos took the round.

The scores were 116-112, 117-111, and 117-111. Laurence Cole was the referee.

Two-division world champ and current WBA middleweight champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara (32-3-3 (19) easily defeated late sub Johan “The Chelo Manotas” Gonzalez (36-5 (34) by a 12-round unanimous decision.

In the first round, Gonzalez was a late sub who got dropped with a minute remaining by a chopping left from Lara on the chin for an 8-count from referee Mark Nelson. In the second round, Lara continued outlanding Gonzalez. In the fourth and fifth rounds, Lara outlanded Gonzalez, except that several times he was against the ropes.

In the sixth round, Gonzalez would on occasion have Lara against the ropes, only to have Lara spin off and take over. In the seventh round, Gonzalez would throw overhand bombs with few of them landing. Lara landed the jab almost at will. In the eighth round, they clashed heads on several occasions, with Lara getting the best of it.

From the ninth through the eleventh, Lara controlled with his jab. In the twelfth and final rounds, the final seconds, a lead was left by Lara on the chin, and down went Gonzalez, who barely beat the count of referee Nelson.

The judges’ scores were 118-108, 119-107, and 120-106

Light welterweight Frank “The Ghost” Martin (19-1 (13) knocked out former 2-division World champ Rance “Kid Blast” Barthelemy (30-4-1 (15) at 2:56 of the fourth of a scheduled 10 rounds.

In the fourth round, Martin had Barthelemy down twice and ended the fight with referee James Green counting him out.

Junior middleweight Isaac “Puro Mexico” Lucero (17-0 (13) knocked out Roberto “El Viejo, Jr.” Valenzuela, Jr. (31-5 (29) at 2:59 of the eighth of a scheduled 10 rounds. Mark Nelson was the referee.

Featherweight Luis “The Twist” Reynaldo Nunez (22-0 (14) defeated Hector “La Maquinita” Andres Sosa (18-4 (9) by a 10-round unanimous decision.

The scores were 98-92, 97-93, and 96-94. Jon Schorle was the referee.

The Ring Announcer was Jimmy Lennon, Jr.