Cruz vs Fierro: A Showdown Built for Fight of the Year Honors

Cruz vs Fierro: A Showdown Built for Fight of the Year Honors

📍 Las Vegas, NV – Cruz vs Fierro is shaping up to be a fight that could leave a lasting mark on boxing history.

Sometimes, boxing isn’t just about winning or losing—it’s about making history.

Just ask Nonito Donaire, a fighter who knows what it takes to be part of an all-time classic. Back in 2019, he went to war with Japan’s Naoya Inoue, breaking his opponent’s orbital bone with a brutal left hand before getting dropped by a vicious body shot himself. Both men pushed through the pain and delivered a fight that fans still talk about today.

For Donaire, those are the moments that define a career.

“When you’re in a fight like that, the outcome doesn’t even matter anymore,” he said during Wednesday’s fighter workouts at MGM Grand. “You just go in there and give everything you have.”

That’s exactly the mindset Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz is bringing into his fight against Angel Fierro on Saturday night. While the main event between David Benavidez and David Morrell Jr. is expected to be a thriller, Cruz and Fierro might just steal the show.

And they both know it.

Why This Fight Has the Makings of a Classic

Cruz vs. Fierro isn’t just another undercard fight—it has everything fight fans love:

✅ A former champ desperate to bounce back – Cruz is coming off a tough loss and needs a big performance to stay relevant.
✅ An opponent with a chip on his shoulder – Fierro feels disrespected and wants to prove he belongs in the big leagues.
✅ Two Mexican warriors known for bringing the heat – Neither of these guys is the type to back down.

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On paper, it’s almost guaranteed to be an all-action war. Both fighters have knockout power (18 KOs each) and fight like they’re always hunting for the finish.

Fierro, fully aware of the stakes, isn’t backing down.

“I think we can steal the night,” he told PPV.COM. “I know he’s tough, but I’ve prepared 100 percent for this moment.”

Source: Pitbull Cruz seeks to make Angel Fierro matchup a Fight of the Year

Cruz Originally Planned to Fight Ryan Garcia—And Fierro Took It Personally

There’s some extra spice in this matchup, too. Originally, Cruz was supposed to fight Ryan Garcia in May. He even verbally agreed to the fight, but for reasons that aren’t entirely clear, he backed out. Instead, Garcia will now face Rolando “Rolly” Romero, a guy Cruz actually beat last year.

For Fierro, this felt like disrespect.

“I don’t know what’s happening with Ryan Garcia, but I feel like Cruz is underestimating me,” he said. “And he’s going to find out that was a big mistake.”

He also knows that a win over Cruz would change his career overnight.

“I know people don’t believe in me, but I don’t care. He’s going to see.”

Cruz vs Fierro: A Showdown Built for Fight of the Year Honors

Cruz Is on a Mission to Rebuild His Reputation

Cruz, on the other hand, needs this win. He’s coming off a frustrating loss to Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela in August—one that cost him his WBO title. For a guy known for his aggressive, power-punching style, that defeat stung.

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Now, he’s on a mission to remind people why they call him “Pitbull.”

“You’re going to see a hungrier ‘Pitbull’—a ‘Pitbull’ off the chain,” Cruz said.

He also made it clear that his decision to walk away from the Ryan Garcia fight had nothing to do with fear.

“I wasn’t going to lose focus on Fierro,” he explained. “This fight is my priority, and I’m going to make sure it’s Fight of the Year material.”

The Bottom Line: Expect Fireworks

With both fighters coming in with something to prove, this fight has war written all over it.

Cruz wants redemption. Fierro wants respect.

The Mexican fighting spirit is legendary, and when you put two warriors with that kind of heart in the same ring, the result is usually unforgettable.

Most fans will tune in for the Benavidez vs. Morrell main event, but don’t be surprised if they walk away talking about Cruz vs. Fierro instead.

Both fighters want this fight to be special. Now, all that’s left is for them to prove it.

đŸ’„ Will they deliver a Fight of the Year candidate? We’ll find out Saturday night.

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