Cruz and Roach Set to Collide in San Antonio Showdown for Interim Junior Welterweight Title

Two prizefighters who have each shared the ring with lightweight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis, Isaac "Pitbull" Cruz and Lamont Roach Jr., are scheduled to meet in a high-stakes pay-per-view bout in San Antonio, Texas. The interim WBC junior welterweight title is on the line as the two look to advance to the top of the division.

The Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) card, set for Saturday at the Frost Bank Center, will be broadcast on Prime Video pay-per-view beginning at 8 p.m. ET. In the co-main event, Stephen Fulton Jr. aims to capture a title in a third weight class when he challenges WBC junior lightweight champion O’Shaquie Foster.

Cruz (28-3-1, 19 KOs), known for his relentless pressure and compact frame, hails from Mexico City. He rose to prominence following his performance against Davis in 2021, taking the fight on short notice and delivering a strong showing in a close decision loss. Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs), a Maryland native, has history with Davis, having faced him as an amateur. Roach holds the WBA title at 130 pounds. In March, he faced Davis in a lightweight bout that ended in a majority draw, a result many observers considered controversial.

Davis (30-0, 28 KOs) initially triggered his rematch clause with Roach but later withdrew and signed to fight YouTube personality Jake Paul in November. However, that fight was canceled after Davis was named in a civil lawsuit by a former girlfriend who accused him of domestic violence. Davis has had several legal problems in the past.

Cruz, 27, a former 140-pound titleholder, is headlining his first pay-per-view event and is expected to have the support of the Texas crowd. Roach, 30, will be moving up in weight for his second consecutive fight. He enters the bout as the betting favorite. The fight presents an opportunity for both boxers to establish themselves as top draws.

"I could have never imagined five years ago when I was fighting in San Antonio that I’d be here now, but this is the fruits of my hard work," Cruz said at Thursday’s final press conference. "I want to keep progressing and evolving and doing big things. I know what my fans expect of me, and I’ve done everything I could in training camp to deliver."

"I hope [Roach] doesn’t run. It’s all about the fans and they want to see us go toe-to-toe. I’ll be ready to go for as long as he’s able to withstand the pressure."

Many in boxing circles believe Roach was denied a title in a second division against Davis due to controversial judging and a missed call by referee Steve Willis. In Round 9, Davis took a voluntary knee that was not ruled a knockdown, which would have given Roach the victory. Roach has remained composed about the experience, and he says it fuels him going into the Cruz fight.

"It gets to a point where I’m very accepting. I had been through things in life that were similar or worse," Roach told CBS Sports. "It’s alright. I know that me doing what I have to do, me continuing on the path that I’m on, everything is going to be OK. I can’t dwell on the past, it just don’t work like that. It’s not going to change anything. The only way you get better is to learn and move on."

"I consider that a bump and bruise on my path. It brought a little light and that’s all I needed. Now we are advancing and getting bigger and getting better."

Roach believes a victory over Cruz could lead to marquee fights in the 135 and 140-pound divisions. Cruz has stated that the winner of Saturday’s fight should face the winner of the January 31 bout between WBO junior welterweight titleholder Teofimo Lopez Jr. and three-division champion Shakur Stevenson.

The fight is expected to be contested at a high pace, featuring a blend of technical boxing and exchanges.

Cruz, known for his relentless forward pressure, can also box when needed. Roach, a counterpuncher who has a height and reach advantage over Cruz, showed against Davis that he can stand and trade punches.

"I’m just excited to show off my skills. Nothing’s changed. We’re here to boogie," Roach said. "Everybody knows I like to throw. There’s gonna be some moments where the cameras better be ready. He’s throwing missiles in there and I’m gonna throw them back. We know what kind of fight Pitbull will bring, but we’ll be ready for everything. Anyone who’s watched me knows that I can adapt to anything."

The card’s original co-main event, a middleweight title unification between WBA titleholder Erislandy Lara and unified king Janibek Alimkhanuly, was canceled after Alimkhanuly tested positive for the banned substance meldonium. Lara (31-3-3, 19 KOs), a former unified 154-pound champion, will remain on the card and face Johan Gonzalez (36-4, 34 KOs).

Fight Card and Odds

Main Event: Isaac Cruz vs. Lamont Roach Jr. for the interim WBC junior welterweight title
Co-Main Event: Stephen Fulton Jr. vs. O’Shaquie Foster for the WBC junior lightweight title
Erislandy Lara vs. Johan Gonzalez

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook