Upset Alert: Jose Valenzuela Defeats Pitbull Cruz Saturday

Jose Valenzuela dedicated his world title fight on Saturday to his parents, who he said sacrificed everything to give him a chance to realize his dream of becoming a world champion.

Valenzuela (14-2, 9 KOs) made all the sacrifices worth it with an upset victory over the popular Issac Cruz of Mexico (26-3-1, 13 KOs) to win the WBA World Junior Welterweight championship in the co-main event of the Riyadh Season card at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.

Jose Valenzuela and Robert Garcia celebrate his upset win over Issac Cruz. Photo: Mark Robinson, Matchroom Boxing

Valenzuela let out a yell and fell to his knees, hearing ring announcer Thomas Trieber say, “And new!” Lightning struck for “El Rayo,” as the Mexican native now training in Southern California outboxed Cruz for the split decision win. Scores were 116-112 for Valenzuela and 115-113 for Cruz.

“Man, I’m speechless! It’s a dream come true,” said the 25-year-old Valenzuela.

Perfect Game Plan, Perfectly Executed

Jose Valenzuela's best punch was his uppercut on Saturday. Photo: Mark Robinson, Matchroom Boxing

Cruz, known for his crowd-pleasing aggressive style, was the clear crowd favorite. They came to see Cruz and Valenzuela go to war. Both fighters were coming off stoppage wins. Valenzuela scored a sixth-round knockout win over Chris Colbert, avenging a previous narrow decision loss. Cruz had the fans on their feet in Las Vegas in March, doling out a beating to Rolly Romero.

Cruz had promised to put on a show, but trainer Robert Garcia and Valenzuela played it smart. Valenzuela used his six-inch height, reach advantage, and superior speed to move into and out of Cruz's range. He used a southpaw jab to keep Cruz busy and boxed his way into position to land stinging uppercuts and hooks.

Jose Valenzuela was careful about using his height and reach, moving in when the target presented itself. Photo: Mark Robinson, Matchroom Boxing

By the fifth round, the Los Angeles crowd grew restless. Valenzuela was in a groove, and Cruz was on edge. After the round, Cruz's corner told him, “Don’t get desperate.” Over in Valenzuela's corner, Team Garcia told Valenzuela to stick with the game plan.

Stay the Course

Isaac Cruz could not close the distance the way he wanted against Jose Valenzuela. Photo: Mark Robinson, Matchroom Boxing

Cruz increased his output in the second half of the fight, but Valenzuela avoided the worst of the incoming fire, still boxing smartly.

Cruz landed his best punch of the fight in the eighth round, a left hook that caught Valenzuela. Through those eight rounds, Valenzuela was leading in all punch categories, including landing 88 power punches to Cruz's 83. Showing his frustration, Cruz hit Valenzuela with a low blow.

Isaac Cruz landed several good left hooks on Jose Valenzuela but not enough. Photo: Mark Robinson, Matchroom Boxing

After eight rounds, Cruz’s corner implored him to “work your hands left and right; you gotta let your hands go.” But Valenzuela's discipline never wavered. He refused to get into a firefight, and he took Cruz's punches extremely well.

Cruz had a solid 11th round, but it was too little too late to fight his way back. There would be no Julio Cesar Chavez versus Meldrick Taylor miracle turnaround.

Before the final round, Garcia told Valenzuela, “Ultimo round, Rayo! Three minutes, you’re a world champion!” He was proven true when the scorecards were read.

Jose Valenzuela: “Just Be Smart”

Jose Valenzuela said he stuck to the game plan. Photo: Mark Robinson, Matchroom Boxing

Valenzuela said it was all about fighting with his head. “Just be smart, just be smart. I didn’t get desperate, I didn’t fall to the pressure. I stayed calm,” said the new champion. Valenzuela said Cruz's power was “nothing crazy, nothing I’ve never felt before. I used my jab, I used my footwork, I felt I was in control the whole time.”

Asked what made the difference, Valenzuela didn't hesitate to answer. “These two guys right here,” pointing to Robert Garcia and his team. Garcia said of the victory, “I think it was a great performance. Keep your distance, keep the jab going, he followed the instructions and he’s a champion now.”

Valenzuela said of the belt over his shoulder, “This is not for me. This is for my mom and dad. This means everything, all the sacrifices they made.”

Isaac Cruz: “Listen To The Crowd”

Isaac Cruz's loss did not diminish his popularity among his devoted fans. Photo: Mark Robinson, Matchroom Boxing
Isaac Cruz loses

A dejected Cruz said of the result, “I don’t need to say a word. Listen to the crowd, they are the judge of all this. Just listen to this.” Thanking his own team, Cruz said, “I just got on with my job. I don’t make a decision what the result is. I just do my job.

“I would like to officially request a rematch. I want to throw that down now and ask for a rematch for sure. Thank you to the fans, good night.”

Cruz was heading for a unification fight with one of the other titleholders at 135 pounds. But now, the opportunity potentially falls to Valenzuela. There is plenty of time to plan the young champion's future. For now, he's earned the right to enjoy the reward for his hard work, made possible by his family and supporters.