Gervonta Davis officially has an opponent once again for his Dec. 5 Showtime pay-per-view date. Isaac Cruz has stepped in after Rolando “Rolly” Romero was forced out of the bout when several women came forward with allegations of sexual assault.
Davis (25-0, 24 KO) is a rising star in the boxing world, carrying massive knockout power into the ring while also testing himself as he has moved up in weight. In his most recent bout, Davis moved to super lightweight, scoring a stoppage of Mario Barrios in Round 11 of a thrilling battle.
“I respect Isaac Cruz for stepping up and taking the fight, but everyone knows what I do,” Davis said in a press release. “I come in looking for the knockout and that’s exactly what I’m going to do in this fight. I’m back in Los Angeles where the stars shine and I’m going to light it up against Isaac Cruz at Staples Center on Dec. 5.”
The win over Barrios awarded Davis the WBA’s secondary title at the weight, adding the belt to his current status as the WBA’s secondary champion at lightweight. That lightweight title will be on the line against Cruz.
While Romero brought a grudge match quality to the fight with Davis, with the two having a long history of trash talk, Cruz (22-1-1, 15 KO) may present the bigger challenge. Cruz is an aggressive slugger with a lot of grit, the kind of fighter who could push Davis out of his standard comfort zone. He has also shown a willingness to bend — and outright break — the rules.
Cruz has not lost a fight since February 2016, when he lost an eight-round decision in just his sixth professional bout. He has since gone on an 18-fight unbeaten streak, including his current 11-fight winning streak.
“First I want to thank Gervonta Davis and his team for this opportunity – an opportunity I won’t let get past me,” Cruz said. “God willing I’ll be world champion on Dec. 5. This fight is a very big motivation for me as a professional and as a personal goal. I’m sure after Dec. 5 everyone in boxing will know the name Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz.”
