Cruz Retains Title With Controversial Draw in Texas Showdown

Cruz Retains Title: A Controversial Draw That Sparks Debate

Few nights in boxing leave the crowd buzzing quite like a title fight shrouded in controversy. At San Antonio’s Frost Bank Center, Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz held onto his WBC interim super-lightweight belt after a majority draw against Lamont Roach — a result that had both fighters appealing to the crowd for fairness, respect, and clarity. The numbers on the judges’ scorecards told one story, but the mood in the arena suggested something entirely different: this fight was close, complicated, and controversial in all the ways boxing loves and hates at the same time.

The Mexican champion, known for his aggressive style and explosive power, started the bout in typical Pitbull fashion. In the third round, Cruz delivered the most dramatic moment of the fight — a fierce, looping left hook that sent Roach to the canvas. Not only was it a statement punch, it was the first knockdown of Roach’s professional career. The American rose composed, but the tone of the bout shifted sharply. For a moment, it felt like Cruz might bulldoze his way to another emphatic statement win.

But fights can bend in unexpected directions. Roach, a slick technician with sharp counterpunching, recovered brilliantly and slowly pulled his way back into the contest. He boxed smart, picked his angles, and outlanded Cruz across the 12 rounds — 191 punches to 159. Numbers don’t always dictate victory in boxing, but his accuracy and discipline over the late rounds forced the judges to earn their money.

The drama didn’t end there. In the seventh round, Cruz was deducted a point for a kidney punch — a call that left him visibly furious and instantly became one of the key talking points after the final bell. Whenever a title fight is close, a point deduction echoes through every round, and this one might have been decisive. In a fight where two judges scored it 113-113, every decision mattered.

The third judge scored it 115-111 for Cruz, making the overall result a majority draw. For Roach, who has now been handed two majority draws in a row — the previous against Gervonta Davis in March — the feeling was clear in his post-fight interview.

“All I want is a fair shake, man,” Roach said, sounding equal parts disappointed and determined. “I don’t accept this at all. I clearly thought I won a close fight… I don’t know what I got to do. But we’re going to go back to the drawing board.”

Roach fought with conviction, especially after the knockdown, and you could sense the weight of back-to-back non-decisions in the way he spoke. His performance earned respect from fans and pundits, but what he wanted was something much simpler — a definitive win.

On Cruz’s side, the reaction was equally passionate. The champion believes he did enough to win and pointed directly at the referee’s decision to deduct a point.

“I won this fight and the referee took this fight from me,” Cruz claimed. “If we have a rematch, it needs to be with a different referee.”

A rematch doesn’t just sound realistic — it feels inevitable. Two fighters with unfinished business, a title at stake, a point deduction, and a knockdown. Boxing promoters dream of this kind of storyline. In a sport where narratives matter almost as much as punches, the Cruz-Roach rivalry has legs.

Foster Cruises to Interim Title With Sharp Performance

Earlier in the night, another story unfolded — one without the same judging drama but with plenty of implications for the lightweight division. O’Shaquie Foster put on a composed clinic to secure the WBC interim lightweight title against Stephen Fulton, winning by majority decision.

Interestingly, the fight wasn’t supposed to be for the interim lightweight belt at all. It was scheduled to be a defense of Foster’s WBC super-featherweight title. But Fulton tipped the scales at Friday’s weigh-in, coming in 2lbs over the limit. Suddenly the stakes changed, and victory opened a different door for Foster.

Once inside the ropes, Foster made sure the narrative stayed simple: he boxed cleaner, sharper, and smarter. He controlled the distance, kept his jab working efficiently, and frustrated Fulton over all 12 rounds. The judges’ scorecards reflected that dominance: 117-111, 118-110, and 119-109.

With this win, Foster became the mandatory challenger for the winner of the upcoming showdown between WBO light-welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez and the unbeaten Shakur Stevenson on January 31. It’s a tantalising prospect for fight fans. Foster may not always command global headlines, but his skill set and ambition are drawing him closer to the center of one of boxing’s most exciting divisions.

Erislandy Lara Retains Title With Vintage Display

The night’s action also included a reminder of just how durable and gifted a veteran champion can be. At 42, Cuban-American Erislandy Lara remains a remarkably polished fighter, and he proved it once again by retaining his WBA middleweight belt with a controlled, dominant win over Venezuela’s Johan Gonzalez.

Lara scored knockdowns in the first and final rounds, a perfectly symmetrical performance that showed both early power and late precision. Gonzalez, a late replacement after Janibek Alimkhanuly failed a drug test earlier in the week, never truly found a way into the contest. The judges didn’t hesitate in awarding Lara lopsided scores: 118-108, 119-107, and 120-106.

For someone who hadn’t fought since stopping Danny Garcia in September 2024, Lara looked sharp, comfortable, and technically superior. His timing and ring IQ remain his defining weapons, and even at his age, he continues to be a factor in a division full of younger contenders.

A Night Full of Questions — and the Promise of Rematches

Boxing thrives on controversy — the debates, the headlines, the rematches they inspire. Isaac Cruz retaining his title with a controversial draw will now sit at the heart of every conversation in the division. Did the knockdown outweigh Roach’s heavier punch stats? Did the point deduction determine the result? Should close rounds be judged differently?

These are the questions the sport never truly answers — and that’s part of why fans love it. What we do know is this: Cruz and Roach have unfinished business, Foster is marching toward a huge opportunity, and Erislandy Lara continues to age like the finest Cuban rum.

As the crowd left the Frost Bank Center, no one seemed entirely satisfied — and yet everyone seemed hungry for more. In boxing, that’s the perfect combination.