Notebook: Rolly expects easy night vs. Pitbull, who begs to differ
'Bam' vacates; new deal for Dalton Smith; Haney-Garcia undercard addition; Quick hits; Show and tell double
A note to Fight Freaks Unite readers: I created Fight Freaks Unite in January 2021 and eight months later it also became available for paid subscriptions for additional content — and as a way to help keep this newsletter going and for readers to support independent journalism. If you haven’t upgraded to a paid subscription please consider it. If you have already, I truly appreciate it! Also, consider a gift subscription for the Fight Freak in your life.
WBA junior welterweight titlist Rolando “Rolly” Romero does not seem to have much respect for Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz.
“Everybody thinks this is gonna be a difficult fight, but I think this is gonna be an easy fight,” Romero said at the fight-week news conference on Thursday. “He’s gonna run right into something because he’s stupid. He’s gonna throw and throw and throw again. He does the same stuff over and over again. I’m ready for it.”
Romero will make the first defense of his 140-pound title against Cruz, who is moving up from lightweight, in the co-feature of the first Premier Boxing Champions event with new partner Prime Video on Saturday (Prime Video PPV and PPV.com, 8 p.m.) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Tim Tszyu defends his WBO junior middleweight title against Sebastian Fundora with the vacant WBC title also at stake in the main event.
Cruz seemed unfazed by Romero’s insult and ready to fight.
“I have learned a lot from my recent fights,” Cruz said through an interpreter. “I know that I don’t want to leave it up to the judges. I’m in great shape and ready to throw hard punches from round one through round 12. If he thinks I’m stupid, then he’s even stupider. If he thinks I’m just gonna lay down, he’s very mistaken. He’s gonna realize it on Saturday night.
“I’ve trained so hard to represent the Mexican people. I always fight to make them proud and this will be no different. Rolly was talking trash during the face off, but his bark is far stronger than his bite. I just want to hit him repeatedly in the face when the time comes. I’m here to wipe Rolly’s smile off his face and take his belt. That’s it. Isaac Cruz is going to be the new world champion.”
Help me celebrate the start of my 25th year of full-time boxing coverage by upgrading to a paid subscription for full access to all posts and comments — and also support independent journalism.
Romero (15-1, 13 KOs), 28, of Las Vegas, won the vacant title via controversial ninth-round knockout of Ismael Barroso last May in what was universally viewed as an incredibly premature stoppage by referee Tony Weeks. Romero has been idle since because of a lower back injury.
He elected to fight Cruz even though he could have made more money to defend against Ryan Garcia.
“I wanted this fight because it’ll be fun for the fans,” said Romero, who is being trained by the well-respected Ismael Salas for the fight. “This is a fight the fans have been asking for and I’m doing everyone a favor by giving it to them.”
Romero is much bigger than Cruz and has taunted him throughout the promotion by calling him a Chihuahua, which he did again on Thursday.
“I’m not giving you the belt, but I can give you the Chihuahua chain after the fight,” Romero said of the necklace he has been wearing.
The Floyd Mayweather-promoted Romero said he expects an aggressive Cruz but has no fear of what he can dish out.
“If you want to come right at me and get cracked, go for it,” Romero said. “He can do all that stuff with the small guys he fights, but I’m a big fighter and I hit harder than anyone at the weight class.
“I’m always here to go for the knockout and to go for the kill. I’m not here to just touch you, I want to pop you. He’s not that unique. I fight guys like him all the time. This has probably been the easiest time I’ve ever had finding sparring in my life. He can be replicated, I can’t. My style goes hand in hand with my personality, it’s unique.
“I’m gonna knock him out. He’s gonna come forward and I’m gonna stop him. He gets hit with everything, so it could be any kind of punch.”
The Manny Pacquiao-promoted Cruz (25-2-1, 17 KOs), 25, of Mexico, is more respectful toward Romero than the other way around.
“I’m not about to underestimate or overlook anybody,” Cruz said. “He’s had his success for a reason. I’m just getting ready to shut his mouth punch by punch and make him talk a little less. I hope he fights the way he talks.
“I’m not worried about Rolly. I just worry about my game. He’s never fought anyone as aggressive as me or who pressures like I do. We waited for the opportunity at 135 to fight for the world title again, but now we’re glad to have it come at 140 pounds. We’ve had a great plan to add the extra weight and use it in our strategy to win.”
The fight matches fighters who both suffered losses to Gervonta “Tank” Davis in lightweight title bouts. Davis knocked out Romero in the sixth round in May 2022 and outpointed Cruz in a very tough fight some thought Cruz won in December 2021.
Tszyu-Fundora PPV lineup
Junior middleweights: Tim Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) vs. Sebastian Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KOs), 12 rounds, for Tszyu’s WBO/vacant WBC title
Junior welterweights: Rolando Romero (15-1, 13 KOs) vs. Isaac Cruz (25-2-1, 17 KOs), 12 rounds, for Romero’s WBA title
Middleweights: Erislandy Lara (29-3-3, 17 KOs) vs. Michael Zerafa (31-4, 19 KOs), 12 rounds, for Lara’s WBA title
Flyweights: Julio Cesar Martinez (20-3, 15 KOs) vs. Angelino Cordova (18-0-1, 12 KOs), 12 rounds, for Martinez’s WBC title
Preliminaries on Prime Video (6 p.m. ET)
Junior middleweights: Serhii Bohachuk (23-1, 23 KOs) vs. Brian Mendoza (22-3, 16 KOs), 12 rounds, for vacant WBC interim title
Junior lightweights: Curmel Moton (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. Anthony Cuba (7-0-2, 3 KOs), 8 rounds
Estrada-Rodriguez updates
Two items related to the lineal/WBC junior bantamweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada-Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez fight that Matchroom Boxing announced this week:
1. Rodriguez has vacated his unified WBO/IBF flyweight titles.
The IBF announced that he notified the organization Wednesday that he is vacating its 112-pound belt ahead of moving back up to junior bantamweight to challenge Estrada for the belt he once held on June 29 (DAZN) at Footprint Center in Phoenix.
“Rodriguez expressed his gratitude and pride in being the organization’s champion in the note to IBF president Daryl Peoples. We wish Jesse Rodriguez continued success in his boxing career,” the IBF said in a statement.
The IBF also ordered Angel Ayala (17-0, 7 KOs), 23 of Mexico, and Dave Apolinaro (20-0, 14 KOs), 25, of the Philippines, to begin negotiations to fight for the vacant title. They have 30 days from March 28 to make a deal or a purse bid will be ordered.
Robert Garcia, Rodriguez’s trainer and manager, and WBO president Paco Valcarcel told Fight Freaks Unite on Friday that he has also vacated the WBO title, which he won last April and defended once.
2. Matchroom Boxing is working to finalize a fight between former flyweight titlist Sunny Edwards and ex-junior flyweight titlist Adrian Curiel for the Estrada-Rodriguez undercard, a source with knowledge of the plans told Fight Freaks Unite.
Edwards (20-1, 4 KOs), 28, of England, who would move down to 108 pounds for the fight, the source said, and Curiel (24-5-1, 5 KOs), 25, of Mexico, are coming off knockout losses that cost them their titles. Rodriguez pummeled Edwards in a ninth-round stoppage in their WBO/IBF flyweight unification fight in December. After scoring a huge second-round upset KO of Sivenathi Nontshinga to win the IBF junior flyweight title in November, Curial lost it via 10th-round knockout in an immediate rematch in February.
Smith re-signs with Matchroom
Emerging British junior welterweight contender Dalton Smith has signed a new multi-fight promotional agreement with promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, it was announced on Thursday.
The new deal comes just days after Smith (16-0, 12 KOs), 27, turned in a career-best performance this past Saturday against his best opponent so far in Jose Zepeda.
Fighting in front a hometown crowd of Sheffield, England, Smith knocked out longtime contender and former three-time world title challenger Zepeda (37-5, 28 KOs), 34, a southpaw from La Puente, California, with a right hand to the mid-section that doubled Zepeda over and sent him to the canvas for a 10-count in the fifth round.
Smith stopped Zepeda in much easier fashion that Regis Prograis did in their vacant WBC title fight in November 2022, when Zepeda went to the 11th round in a competitive fight.
“I’m delighted to extend my contract with Matchroom,” said Smith, who is the British and Commonwealth champion. “I’ve been with them since my debut (in 2019) and over the years I’ve built a great relationship with Eddie, Frank (Smith) and all of the team. I really feel like part of the family now. I think I’m going to have a long career with Matchroom. I’m in great hands and I wouldn’t be with anyone better. It would be nice to start my career with them and then also finish it at the end.
“The win over Zepeda is going to propel my name up into the rankings, but I knew a few people who were saying that it might have been a fight too soon. Don’t get me wrong, I knew the pressure was on but not many people can rise to the occasion. I knew I had to remain switched on and focused throughout, knowing the performance would materialize. This was not a Zepeda who was on the slide. He has only lost at the world level and it is not like he has been beaten easily. He is a world-class fighter and he is proven at the world level. I need that performance to prove that I, too, belong at the world level.”
Hearn said extending the deal with Smith was a no-brainer.
“I believe (Smith) is a world champion in waiting,” Hearn said. “When he produces performances like that against Jose Zepeda, it makes it very easy to do my job.
“After such a special win, the next one is going to be even bigger. That is when we can start opening up the top tier of Sheffield Arena, going from 5,000 to 7,000 and then to 9,000 people and that is when you can start thinking about going to Hillsborough Stadium. There’s some huge fights out there for Dalton and I'm excited for the next steps.”
Quick hits
Weights from Glendale, Arizona, for Friday’s Top Rank card (ESPN+, 6:10 p.m. ET): Oscar Valdez 129.7 pounds, Liam Wilson 129.6 (for vacant WBO interim junior lightweight title); Seniesa Estrada 104.2, Yokasta Valle 104.3 (undisputed women’s strawweight title); Raymond Muratalla 137.1, Xolisani Ndongeni 137.1; Lindolfo Delgado 140.7, Carlos Sanchez 140.4; Richard Torrez Jr. 236.6, Don Haynesworth 276.5; Sergio Rodriguez 163.9, Sanny Duversonne 163.7; Emiliano Vargas 136.5, Nelson Hampton 136; Alan Garcia 135.9, Gonzalo Fuenzalida 137.9; Art Barrera Jr. 141.6, Keven Soto 139.7; Ricardo Ruvalcaba 140.9, Avner Hernandez Molina 140.6.
WBO cruiserweight titlist Chris Billam-Smith will make his second defense against mandatory challenger and British countryman Richard Riakporhe on June 15, Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom told Fight Freaks Unite. The site is not set. The fight was planned for sooner but was slightly delayed while Billam-Smith recovered from minor injuries suffered in his eighth-round knockout of Mateusz Masternak in a December defense. The fight will be a rematch. In July 2019, Riakporhe (17-0, 13 KOs), 34, dropped Billam-Smith (19-1, 13 KOs), 33, in the seventh round of a regional title bout and won a 10-round split decision. Billam-Smith outpointed Lawrence Okolie to win the WBO title in May 2023.
Glendale, Arizona, middleweight prospect Elijah Garcia (16-0, 13 KOs), 20, has fallen ill and his 10-rounder against Kyrone Davis (18-3-1, 6 KOs), 29, of Wilmington, Delaware, was canceled Friday, PBC announced. It was scheduled as the final bout of the PBC on Prime preliminaries before the start of the main Tim Tszyu-Sebastian Fundora PBC on Prime PPV at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Instead, heavily hyped Floyd Mayweather protégé Curmel Moton (2-0, 2 KOs), 17, of Las Vegas, will have his eight-round junior lightweight bout against Anthony Cuba (7-0-2, 3 KOs), 21, of Los Angeles, open the prelims on Prime Video at 6 p.m. ET with the Serhii Bohachuk-Brian Mendoza vacant WBC interim junior middleweight title bout following it before the start of the PPV portion of the card.
Junior middleweight contender Charles Conwell, who signed a multi-fight deal with Golden Boy Promotions in mid-February, will make his debut for the company on the undercard of Devin Haney’s WBC junior welterweight title defense against Ryan Garcia on April 20 (DAZN PPV, PPV.com) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, a source with knowledge of the plans told Fight Freaks Unite. Conwell (18-0, 13 KOs), 26, of Cleveland, who was a 2016 U.S. Olympian, has been idle since November 2022, when he won a hard-fought majority decision over Juan Carlos Abreu in a WBC semifinal title eliminator. Issues with his former promoter and manager have kept him sidelined.
Light heavyweight Juan Carrillo (12-0, 9 KOs), 31, a 2016 Colombian Olympian, knocked out fellow southpaw Quinton Rankin (21-9-2, 16 KOs), 37, of Gastonia, North Carolina, at 27 seconds of the third round in the main event of Salita Promotions’ “Big Time Boxing USA” card on DAZN on Thursday night at Wayne State Fieldhouse in Detroit. Also on the card, junior welterweight Shohjahon Ergashev (24-1, 21 KOs), 32, a Detroit-based Uzbekistan native, knocked out fellow southpaw Juan Huertas (17-5-1, 13 KOs), 31, of Panama, with a body shot at 2 minutes of the first round. The fight was Ergashev’s first since he was stopped in the sixth round challenging Subriel Matias for the IBF title in November.
Former featherweight titlist Nicholas Walters (29-1-1, 22 KOs), 38, a Jamaica native fighting out of Panama, rolled to a unanimous decision against Joseph Adorno (18-4-2, 15 KOs), 24, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the lightweight main event of the ProBox TV card Wednesday night in Plant City, Florida. Walters, who held the WBA belt from 2012 to 2015 and scored a career-best KO win over Nonito Donaire in a 2014 defense, handed Adorno his third loss in four fights. Walters won 98-91, 97-92 and 95-94. He won his third straight fight since returning in 2023 from quitting after the seventh round against then-WBO junior lightweight titlist Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2016. The first two bouts of the comeback were against low-level foes in Colombia.
Show and tell
The then-unknown Ricardo Mayorga was the mandatory challenger for exciting welterweight titlist Andrew “Six Heads” Lewis when they met at Staples Center in Los Angeles on the Roy Jones-Julio Gonzalez HBO PPV undercard in 2001. The fight ended in a second-round no contest after Lewis was badly cut by an accidental head butt, but Mayorga had shown enough to know he was going to be a handful.
They met again in an immediate rematch in the main event of a Showtime card in Reading, Pennsylvania, for which I made the three-plus hour drive to cover for USA Today. Mayorga had given us a glimpse of his big personality during fight week for the first bout, which I also covered, but he really let it show for the rematch. At the weigh-in, Mayorga taunted the weight-drained Lewis by eating a chicken leg while standing on the scale. The next night, he fulfilled his promise of a knockout by dropping and stopping Lewis in the fifth round to win the WBA welterweight title. Lewis, who died in 2015, never again would be a serious factor while Mayorga would go on to beat Vernon Forrest twice, including to unify belts, and win a junior middleweight title before becoming the ultimate villain B-side in losses to big names: Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Shane Mosley and Miguel Cotto. The rematch took place on March 30, 2002 — 22 years ago on Saturday. Here is an extremely rare program, which is digest size, in my collection.
More show and tell
There are certainly some very famous all-action heavyweight title fights. Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier I and III come to mind as do Larry Holmes-Ken Norton, Riddick Bowe-Evander Holyfield I and II, Mike Tyson-Buster Douglas, Tyson-Holyfield I, Lennox Lewis-Vitali Klitschko, Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko and Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III. But perhaps the single most underrated heavyweight world title bout of recent decades was when Sergei Liakhovich and Lamon Brewster slugged it out for 12 brutal rounds in a Showtime main event that took place in Cleveland. Although Brewster knocked Liakhovich down in the seventh round, Liakhovich inflicted much damage and won a unanimous decision (117-110, 115-112 and 115-113) to take the WBO belt from him in a fight that left Brewster with a detached retina in his left eye from a first-round punch. The injury ultimately ended Brewster’s career and still hampers him to this day. That memorable battle took place on April 1, 2006 — 18 years ago on Monday. Here is a program in my collection.
A note to subscribers
I sincerely appreciate your readership. If you’re reading, it means you love boxing just like I do. If you’ve been reading you also know the quality and quantity of what I produce. It’s one-stop shopping. Read the newsletters and there is no need to search multiple websites or click a multitude of links to get the latest news, opinion and detailed fight schedule. Everything you need is in one spot and delivered directly to your inbox (or via phone alert if you download for free the superb Substack app). You don’t have to hunt for the news; it comes to you.
I believe that is worth something, so while I will continue providing stories, notes and the schedule for free, I encourage you to upgrade to a paid subscription for the most content. A paid subscription is your way of keeping this reader-supported newsletter going and supporting independent journalism. I am beholden to no network, promoter, manager, sanctioning body or fighter. If you have read my work at all during the past 24 years I’ve covered professional boxing you know that I keep it real and that will not change.
To upgrade your subscription please go here:
Thank you so much for your support of Fight Freaks Unite!
Photos: Romero-Cruz: Ryan Hafey/PBC; Rodriguez: Melina Pizano/Matchroom Boxing; Smith: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing; Valdez-Wilson: Mikey Williams/Top Rank
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danrafael1/
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanRafael1
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanRafaelBoxing
Team Pitbull…cause Rollys annoying AF 🤷♂️🥊🥊🥊