Cruz retains title with controversial draw

Isaac Cruz retained his WBC interim super-lightweight title with a controversial majority draw against Lamont Roach in Texas.

Mexican Cruz knocked the American down for the first time in his career with a fierce left hook in the third round.

However, Cruz was deducted a point for a kidney punch in round seven, while Roach landed 191 punches to Cruz’s 159 over 12 rounds at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.

It was Roach’s second successive majority draw this year after his fight with Gervonta Davis in March.

“All I want is a fair shake, man,” Roach said.

“I don’t accept this at all. I clearly thought I won a close fight.

“I don’t know what I got to do. But we’re going to go back to the drawing board.”

Cruz said he wants a rematch if a different referee officiates the fight.

Earlier, O’Shaquie Foster made light work of fellow American Stephen Fulton to win the WBC interim lightweight title by majority decision.

The fight was scheduled to be for Foster’s WBC super-featherweight title, but Fulton came in 2lb overweight at Friday’s weigh-in.

Foster outboxed Fulton to win 117-111, 118-110 and 119-109 on the judges’ scorecards.

Foster became the mandatory challenger to the winner of the fight between WBO light-welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez and Shakur Stevenson on 31 January.

Erislandy Lara retained his WBA middleweight title with a dominant win against Venezuela’s Johan Gonzalez.

Cuban-American Lara, 42, scored two knockdowns and looked sharp despite fighting for the first time since a stoppage win against Danny Garcia in September 2024.

Lara floored Gonzalez – a late replacement this week after Janibek Alimkhanuly failed a drugs test – in the first and last rounds.