Jose Valenzuela upsets 'Pitbull' Cruz to win WBA junior welterweight title
Claims split decision in crowd-pleaser in Crawford-Madrimov co-feature
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LOS ANGELES — Jose Valenzuela mixed in aggressive punching with enough boxing and movement to blunt the intense aggression of Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz to win an upset split decision and the WBA junior welterweight title in the co-feature of Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov DAZN PPV card on Saturday night at BMO Stadium.
Judge Eddie Hernandez Sr. scored it 115-113 for Cruz, but he was overruled by Pat Russell and Rudy Barragan, who both had it 116-112 for Valenzuela. Fight Freaks Unite had it 115-113 for Valenzuela, who was moving up from lightweight and in his second fight under the guidance of trainer Robert Garcia.
“I was 100 percent sure,” Valenzuela said when asked how confident he was that he had won when he heard it was a split decision.
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