Robert Garcia Picks Jose Valenzuela to Best Isaac Cruz
If all goes according to lead trainer Robert Garcia, as he told EsNews, his lightweight charge Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela (13-2, 9 KO’s) will snag a grand upset victory in his next duel. In that prizefight, on the undercard of Madrimov versus Crawford, Rayo will move up in weight to take on WBA junior welterweight champion Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz (26-2-1, 18 KO’s) on August 3.
“In Rayo’s fight, I am predicting a pretty good upset! Rayo is training good, training hard. He is in good shape and I think they are probably underestimating Rayo.”
CREEPING ON A COME-UP
When last in the ring Valenzuela, 25, got sweet revenge over the talented Chris Colbert who he lost to in their first fight, on March 25, 2024, by a razor close decision of 95-94 on all three judges’ scorecards. In that battle, the southpaw fighter dropped and hurt Colbert several times throughout the match. Nevertheless Colbert did control the larger portion of the affair with his fast hands and crafty skills.
Due to how fiercely competitive the prizefight was, both men clamored for an immediate rematch which took place nine months later on December 16, 2023. In their do-over, Rayo, currently ranked #5 (WBA), would leave nothing to chance. He defeated Colbert by concussive stoppage in the sixth round. In fact the finale was so devastating that it was recognized as 3Kings Boxing Knockout of the Year.
While it obviously is a great feat to have accomplished in his last fight, over the course of the past four battles, Rayo has a standing of 2-2. Outside of the duels with Colbert, Valenzuela fell victim to a third-round knockout loss at the hands of Edwin De Los Santos on September 4, 2022. Yet, it is a positive that he knocked out Francisco Vargas on April 16, 2022 in his match just prior to his fight with De Los Santos.
TWO MEN – ONLY ONE TITLE
For his part, Cruz is riding a four-fight win streak since losing to WBA 135-pound champion Gervonta Davis. Despite this being a loss, the highly-viewed duel propelled Pitbull into stardom. In his last prizefight, versus Rolando Romero, Cruz stopped Romero in the eighth and collected his WBA 140-pound title. His upcoming fight with Valenzuela will stand as his first title defense.
This prizefight against Cruz will be the first attempt at a title for Valenzuela. Naturally, this is not a duel that either man can stand to lose. So, given their styles and the stakes, there is a high likelihood that this will be an all-action affair!
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