'Mexican Mike Tyson' Isaac Cruz Becomes Social Media Sensation

Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz grew to become a torrid social media sensation, due to his Saturday night time destruction of Rolando “Rolly” Romero, which earned him a junior middleweight belt.

Cruz’s Instagram account gained a whopping 250,000 followers to breeze previous the 1 million mark, and the highlights from his eighth-round stoppage grew to become the top-trending video on YouTube.

“He’s probably the most thrilling fighter from Mexico,” Cruz’s supervisor, Sean Gibbons, instructed Boxing Scene on Tuesday, fairly a press release contemplating the presence of a sure four-division and undisputed tremendous middleweight champion named Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.

“I’ve by no means seen a child catch hearth so quick. There was a kindle after he fought Gervonta [Davis in 2021]. Now, it’s a full-blown wildfire.”

Following within the footsteps of his professional-boxer grandfather, Memo Cruz, and his father, Isaac Sr., Cruz (26-2-1, 18 KOs) unleashed a relentless assault on then-champion Romero, badly wobbling him within the early going, leaving him a tentative foe by way of the early rounds earlier than unleashing a ending barrage that introduced the T-Cell Enviornment plenty to their toes.

“There’s no feeling-out course of with ‘Pitbull,’ and other people love that sort of pleasure,” Gibbons mentioned. “That’s why matchmaking issues: Do I need to see Shakur Stevenson attempt to run and out-box him over 12 rounds, or do I desire a man who stands in there and says, ‘Let’s go mano-a-mano and the primary who’s completed loses?’”

Cruz has mentioned beforehand he longs for a rematch with the unbeaten Davis, who edged him on the scorecards (115-113 twice and 116-112) when Cruz served as a alternative opponent on brief discover.

Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) is headed to a June 15 Premier Boxing Champions on Amazon Prime Video pay-per-view foremost occasion versus unbeaten Frank Martin.

Gibbons mentioned he’s keen to attend for that final result and a Davis negotiation, however famous there’s an opportunity one other alternative could emerge earlier than that.

“And if we don’t have Gervonta locked in 100% … [Cruz] must be within the ring,” Gibbons mentioned. “September 14 is a chance. I do know that’s Canelo’s date, however let’s see what occurs in his [May 4 Jaime] Munguia combat. I might take ‘Pitbull’anyplace in L.A. or Vegas, and he’d blow the roof off.”

Gibbons mentioned he would love for Cruz to combat 3 times this 12 months.

“The combat followers have spoken and that [Davis-Cruz II] is the combat they need,” Gibbons mentioned. “If Gervonta desires it, he can come get this smoke. Let’s be actual: Tank performed tag with Rolly earlier than catching him [in the sixth]. ‘Pitbull’ Cruz took the combat proper to him like his idol Mike Tyson does, and he confirmed you who probably the most thrilling fighter at 140 kilos is.

“We’ve set the desk. Now we simply want ‘Tank’ to return and eat.”

Cruz, 25, is promoted by Manny Pacquiao, who mentioned in a Manila Bulletin story that he’s honored to assist advance his profession.

“[Cruz] is a testomony of a real, hard-working warrior,” Pacquiao mentioned. “His boxing expertise, energy and pace are honed by years of his sacrifice in coaching and studying.”

Gibbons instructed the Manila newspaper that Pacquiao is very keen on Cruz as a result of he’s a household man who doesn’t smoke or drink and reminds him of the legendary ancestors of Mexican champions who Pacquiao fought throughout his profession: Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez.

“It doesn’t get any hotter than the eye ‘Pitbull’s getting proper now,” Gibbons mentioned. “Individuals have forgot Devin Haney’s combating Ryan Garcia [on April 20]. Why? As a result of what do combat followers actually need? A Mexican Mike Tyson who says, ‘Let’s meet within the middle of the ring like we’re combating at The Discussion board.’ He’s a must-watch warrior.”