Lamont Roach is slated for another opportunity at a title, this time facing WBC interim light welterweight champion Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz in a main event scheduled for December 6th. The event will be broadcast via PPC on Prime Video PPV from San Antonio, Texas.
Roach’s Adventurous Move to 140
Roach (25-1-2, 10 KOs), currently the WBA super featherweight champion, is escalating to the 140-pound division after his previous attempt to secure the WBA lightweight title was unsuccessful against Gervonta Davis on March 1st.
‘Pitbull’ Cruz (28-3-1, 18 KOs) is set to defend his WBC interim light welterweight title, which he acquired last summer by defeating Omar Salcido in a 10-round unanimous decision on July 19th.
‘Pitbull’s Desired Rivals Overlooked
Cruz had expressed interest in facing higher-profile opponents for this fight, specifically mentioning:
- Teofimo Lopez
- Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero
- Alberto Puello
- Ryan Garcia
- Angel Fierro
PBC is taking a calculated risk by selecting Roach as ‘Pitbull’ Cruz’s adversary on a PPV card, with an anticipated price of $75. A more prominent name would have been preferable to attract a wider audience, but Roach was ultimately chosen.
The Pay-Per-View Proposition
The event’s success on PPV is uncertain, and failure may indicate an incorrect opponent choice. Roach is a skilled fighter, but lacks the broader recognition needed to appeal to casual viewers, and his boxing style is not particularly conducive to generating excitement for PPV.
Comparatively, Tank Davis vs. Roach garnered 260,000 buys on PPC on Prime Video PPV earlier this year on March 1. While respectable, these numbers fall short of the 1.2 million buys generated by Gervonta’s bout with Ryan Garcia on April 22, 2023.
Mike Coppinger initially reported the news of ‘Pitbull’ Cruz vs. Lamont Roach on December 6th. He cited Cruz’s manager, Sean Gibbons, as confirming the scheduled fight with Roach.
Can Roach Emulate Rayo’s Strategy?
Cruz, 27, is currently on a two-fight winning streak, having triumphed over Omar Salcido and Angiel Fierro. He displayed impressive form against these opponents, whose styles were well-suited to his own. His most recent setback occurred against Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela, to whom he lost by a 12-round split decision on August 3, 2024.
Rayo employed a strategy of constant movement and boxing, which effectively neutralized ‘Pitbull’. Roach is expected to adopt a similar approach, making Cruz’s management’s decision to accept this fight somewhat surprising.
