Roach-Cruz Super Lightweight Bout Ends in Majority Draw

Lamont Roach Jr. and Isaac Cruz fought to a contentious majority draw in their 12-round super lightweight bout on Saturday night at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, with the Mexican challenger retaining his WBC interim title amid widespread debate over the scoring.

The super featherweight contender Roach, competing in his debut at 140 pounds after moving up from his natural weight class, entered the ring as the underdog against the aggressive Cruz, known as "Pitbull" for his relentless pressure style. The fight began evenly, but Cruz gained momentum early, knocking Roach down in the third round with a sharp combination. Roach recovered and adjusted his approach, using footwork to disrupt Cruz's advances and winning several middle rounds from the seventh to the 10th. However, Cruz rallied in the championship rounds, landing heavier shots and closing strong. The judges' scorecards reflected the closeness: one scored it 115-111 for Cruz, while the other two had it 113-113, resulting in the draw. A controversial point deduction to Cruz in the seventh round for a perceived low blow, later disputed on replay as landing on the beltline, proved pivotal, potentially altering...