In a highly-anticipated showdown on the undercard of Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora, Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz delivered a stunning performance against Rolando “Rolly” Romero, securing the WBA junior welterweight championship with a TKO victory in Round 8.
From the opening bell, Cruz capitalized on Romero’s perceived technical weaknesses, landing a heavy left hook in the first round that visibly rocked Romero. Despite the early onslaught, Romero managed to weather the storm and avoid a knockdown, displaying resilience in the face of adversity.
Throughout the bout, Cruz effectively navigated Romero’s height advantage, slipping inside his opponent’s looping shots to land powerful punches to both the head and body. Despite Romero’s attempts to control the pace by circling the ring and resorting to holding, Cruz remained relentless in his pursuit, consistently landing hard counters and maintaining forward momentum.
Despite a point deduction for repeated holding in Round 5, Romero struggled to mount a significant offense against the relentless pressure of Cruz. In the seventh round, Romero was once again rocked, signaling the beginning of the end as Cruz continued to dominate.
With the ringside physician closely monitoring Romero’s condition, Cruz unleashed a barrage of strikes in Round 8, ultimately prompting the referee to stop the fight at the 0:56 mark, solidifying Cruz’s victory and his ascent to world champion status.
Following his victory, Cruz sets his sights on a potential rematch with Gervonta “Tank” Davis, further cementing his position among boxing’s elite. Meanwhile, Romero’s reign as champion comes to an end, following a controversial title win and subsequent defeats, marking a significant turning point in his career trajectory.
