Lamont Roach Jr. is making another bold move up in weight, as the reigning WBA junior lightweight champion will step into the 140-pound division to challenge Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz for the interim WBC junior welterweight title. The bout headlines a PBC pay-per-view on December 6 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, streaming live on Prime Video.
Roach had been eyeing a summer rematch with Gervonta “Tank” Davis after their controversial majority draw in March. But when Davis opted for a November exhibition with Jake Paul, Roach shifted gears to pursue championship success in a new weight class. The Cruz fight marks his third straight bout at a different limit, underlining his willingness to adapt and chase high-stakes opportunities.
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Cruz is riding momentum into the fight, having gone 6-1 since his razor-thin loss to Davis in December 2021. The Mexico City warrior captured the vacant interim WBC belt in July by outpointing Omar Salcido, and now seeks a defining win to cement his rise.
“This is the biggest moment Isaac Cruz has had in his career,” said manager Sean Gibbons. “It’s even bigger than the first ‘Tank’ fight because Mexico is looking for a new face of boxing after Canelo lost to Crawford. They want a new champion and a star for Mexican Independence Day and Cinco de Mayo weekends. We are hoping this fight launches Cruz into that conversation.”
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