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Lamont Roach Jr. spurned by another controversial draw despite key adjustments against Isaac 'Pitbull' Cruz
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Lamont Roach Jr. overcame the first suffered knockdown of his career and made enough adjustments to outland Isaac 'Pitbull' Cruz in every punch category.
But when the judges' decision was made, the Washington D.C. native was forced to live with his second painful majority draw of 2025. Judges inside the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas scored the pay-per-view headliner 115-111 for Cruz, 113-113, and 113-113, keeping the WBC interim super lightweight world title in Cruz' possession.
Cruz showed up like a rabid 'Pitbull' off the leash, generating unrelenting pressure that found paydirt in the form of a left hook in the third round that forced Roach Jr.'s glove to touch the canvas for a knockdown.
Instead of immediately changing his game plan, Roach Jr. stood tough in the pocket with Cruz, weathering the turbulence and slowing down the pace of the fight.
After landing a check left hook flush on Cruz in the sixth round, Roach Jr. tamed 'Pitbull' by finding a consistent home with the left hand to keep the champion at bay. The adjustments paved the way for Roach Jr. to take control of the fight midway as DAZN News gave him the sixth through 10th rounds and the 12th and final frame for a 115-111 edge that the three judges in San Antonio did not score.
The controversial result came after Roach Jr. outlanded Cruz in total punches including power shots and jabs.
Instead of hitting liftoff on a star-powered upwards trajectory, Roach Jr. will have to swallow his second majority draw of 2025 after many felt he did enough to defeat Gervonta 'Tank' Davis in March as well.
Roach Jr. (25-1-4, 10 KOs) now has four career draws on his ledger.
Here's how the Cruz-Roach Jr. main card went.
Results and headlines
- Isaac Cruz, Lamont Roach Jr. fight to majority draw
- O'Shaquie Foster defeats Stephen Fulton Jr. by unanimous decision to win WBC interim lightweight title
- Erislandy Lara defeats Johan Gonzalez via unanimous decision to retain WBA middleweight title
- Mario Barrios confirms Ryan Garcia fight is being finalized for February 21
- Jesus Ramos Jr. edges Shane Mosley Jr. by unanimous decision to win WBC interim middleweight title
- Frank Martin defeats Rances Barthelemy via fourth-round KO
