'Pitbull' Cruz-Jose Valenzuela, Andy Ruiz Added To Aug. 3 Madrimov-Crawford Undercard
04/22/2024 11:08 PM
Isaac 'Pitbull' Cruz will enjoy a quick turnaround for his first title defense.
The Ring has confirmed that Mexico City's Cruz (26-2-1, 18 knockouts) will risk his WBA 140-pound title versus Jose 'Rayo' Valenzuela. Their bout will land on the Aug. 3 Israil Madrimov-Terence 'Bud' Crawford undercard at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California.
Both bouts will be formally announced at a press conference scheduled for Wednesday in New York City. The event will mark the first boxing venture for Turki Alalshikh and Riyadh Season outside of the Middle East.
Cruz won the belt in an eighth-round knockout of Rolando 'Rolly' Romero on March 30 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The squat slugger moved up in weight and manhandled Romero for his first major title win.
Valenzuela (13-2, 9 KOs) will enter his first title fight. The 24-year-old Mexican southpaw enters off a sensational sixth-round knockout of Chris Colbert last December 16 in Minneapolis. The 2023 Knockout of the Year contender saw Valenzuela avenge a disputed defeat to Colbert last March 25.
ESPN Deportes' Salvador 'Chava' Rodriguez was the first to report the matchup, along with two other bouts in play.
Former unified heavyweight titlist Andy Ruiz (35-2, 22 KOs) is pegged to land on the undercard. Multiple outlets have reported that California's Ruiz will face Brooklyn-bred Jarrell Miller (26-1, 22 KOs). The matchup is not yet confirmed as final, though also expected to be revealed on Wednesday.
Ruiz has not fought since a Sept. 2022 decision win over Luis Ortiz at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
A less certain pairing calls for a trilogy clash between faded former titlists Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares. BoxingScene.com's Lance Pugmire reported that Santa Cruz (38-2-1, 19 KOs) is expected to be on the show, regardless of opponent.
The theme among the offered undercard puts into play several moves regarding Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) representatives.
Alalshikh posted several pictures of meetings held in Brooklyn last weekend. Among them was one with Luis DeCubas Jr., one of the sport's top managers and a key figure within PBC.
Of the six undercard fighters tabbed to appear on the show, all but Miller work or have worked with PBC.
The main event moves forward with Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs) set to make his first WBA 154-pound title defense. There was the threat of a potential mandatory title defense that faced the unbeaten Uzbek. Ring 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo contacted the WBA to enforce his 'Champion in Recess' status. Among its privileges are for its claimants to immediately challenge for the title.
Interestingly, a follow-up email hours later from TGB Promotions' Tom Brown indicated that PBC was prepared to have Charlo stand down. Furthermore, Brown insisted that their side had no objection on Madrimov-Crawford taking place next.
Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) will attempt to become a four-division titlist. The Ring's welterweight champion and No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter previously eyed a WBO title shot. That path was briefly closed when Sebastian Fundora was placed under medical suspension through September 26. He suffered a broken nose in his WBC/WBO 154-pound title win over Tim Tszyu on March 30 in Las Vegas.
Proper documentation was sent to the WBO to honor the Nevada-mandated suspension. A ruling allowed an interim titlist to be crowned and for that winner to face Fundora by year's end.
The Ring has confirmed that Madrimov-Crawford will fill that void, in addition to being for Madrimov's WBA title.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for The Ring and vice president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.
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