Robbery? - “Knockdown & Point Deduction

Highlight Cruz /Roach Draw”!

By: Edwin Gonzalez

Saturday, December 6th, Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, Texas: In the main event of a Tom Brown - TGB, Sampson Lewkowicz - Sampson Boxing, Premiere Boxing Champions promotion streamed live on Amazon Prime Video PPV, Mexico City, Mexico's, Isaac “Pibull” Cruz retained his WBC Interim World Super Lightweight title with a lethargic twelve round majority draw with Upper Marlboro, Maryland's, Lamont “The Reaper” Roach.

Cruz started aggressively dropping Roach for the first time in his twenty eight bout career with a left hook knocking the Upper Marlboroman off balance causing his right glove to touch the canvas in round three.

Roach demonstrated resilience after the knockdown with “The Pitbull” sticking to his patented body attack and “The Reaper” turning more towards counter punching context would radically change for Cruz following a point deduction for a low blow / kidney punch in round seven. Roach controlling the middle and late rounds with his jab, the championship rounds seeing Cruz landed a big right in the eleventh round Roach appearing to out land Cruz down the stretch would find himself on the soft side of a 115-111Cruz, 113-113 times two majority draw.

Still champion, Cruz moves to 28-3-2, 18Ko’s as Roach calling it a "robbery" referencing his superior volume and accuracy and the Cruz point deduction with his second straight controversial draw majority draw (Gervonta Davis in March) adjusts to 25-1-3, 10Ko’s.

Houston, Texas, O'Shaquie “Ice Water” Foster captured the WBC Interim Lightweight Title with a tactical tour de force, points victory over Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, former WBO/WBC Super Bantamweight and WBC Featherweight Champion, Stephen Fulton.

Originally scheduled for Foster's WBC Super Featherweight belt only to be moved with Fulton missing weight saw the taller, longer, ice in his veins Texan take control with calculated boxing and a sharp southpaw jab backed by a lock-down “Philly Shell” defense frustrating his Philadelphia based opponent with a relentless movement and accurate counterpunching out boxing him to a dominant 119-109, 118-110, 117-111 unanimous decision win.

Now the mandatory for Shakur Stevenson, Foster, two victories from an avenged July 2024 split decision loss to Robson Conceicao improves to 24-3,12 Ko’s. Fulton two bout win streak following a July 2023 WBC/ WBO World Super Bantamweight title challenge loss eighth round TKO loss to Naoya “Monster” Inoue closes at 22-3, 8Ko’s.

Houston, Texas, based 42-year-old, Cuban, Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara retained his WBA Middleweight World Title with a commanding twelve round unanimous decision win over Las Vegas, Nevada, based Venezuelan, Johan “The Chelo Manotas” Gonzalez.         

Back in action since a September 2024 ninth round retirement over “Danny “Swift” Garcia, “The American Dream” showed why the game has levels flooring the Janibek Alimkhanuly (failed drug test) replacement with a with a razor like straight left closing round one.

In surgical styled exercise Lara in full control, to the ire of those ringside mundanely going through the motions controlling the pace and space with jabs and elusive footwork held off the aggressive Venezuelan punctuating the evening flooring “Chelo Manotas” a second time in round twelve with repeat hard lefts securing a lop-sided 120-106, 119-107, 118-108 unanimous decision win.

Lara unbeaten since an April 2018 split decision loss to Jarrett Hurd moves to 32-3-3, 19Ko’s. The 34-year-old, Gonzalez 2-3 in his last five bouts slips to 36-5, 34Ko’s.

In his middleweight debut, Casa Grande, Arizona, southpaw, Jesus “El Mono” Ramos Jr. claimed the WBC Interim Middleweight Title with a twelve round unanimous decision win over Las Vegas, Nevada’s, Shane Mosley Jr.

The taller, longer, Mosley, the 34-year-old son of former IBF Lightweight/ WBC/WBA Welterweight and WBC/WBA Light Middleweight Champion and International Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee “Sugar” Shane Mosely started quickly landing clean right hands only to see Ramos turn the tables near the close of the round with a statement southpaw, right hook.

Never looking back there would be no “monkey business” for the motivated 24-year-old holding off a tough Mosley push in round five would return to his lateral movement, jab, left hand, right hook, touch the body fight plan out boxing Mosley to a very solid 116-112, 117-111 times two twelve round title grabbing unanimous decision win. Ramos improves to 24-1, 19Ko’s as Mosley five victories from a May 2021 ten round majority decision loss to Jason Quigley regroups at 22-5, 12Ko’s.          

Indianapolis, Indiana, southpaw, super lightweight, Frank “The Ghost” Martin returning from his sole defeat a June 2024 eighth round TKO loss to unbeaten Gervonta “Tank” Davis in fabulous fashion stopping Las Vegas, Nevada, based Cuban, Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy in four rounds.      

Stepping up to 140lbs saw the thirty-year-old, “Ghost” return to his slick ring generalship and defensive sensibility constantly changing distance and angles for quick combinations neutralized “Kid Blast” jab and right hands setting up clean counters flooring the former IBF Super Featherweight and Lightweight Champion twice in round four prompting referee James Green to put a halt to the fight at 2:56 of round four. Martin moves to 19-1, 13Ko’s while the forty-year-old, Barthelemy 1-3 in his last four bouts drops to 30-4-1, 15Ko’s.

In an exciting scheduled ten-round super welterweight war, Las Vegas, Nevada, Isaac “Puro Mexico” Lucero stopped Sonora, Mexico, seasoned veteran Roberto “El Viejo Jr.” Valenzuela Jr. in eight rounds.

Lucero started quickly decking Valenzuela with a right hand to the back of the head round one kicking off the two-way action in round two The crafty, 27-year-old, “Puro Mexico” finding his rhythm turning southpaw in round three prompting a “El Viejo Jr.” return to uppercuts and hooks for some fan friendly action saw Lucero’s unrelenting pressure attack, highlighted by big right hands take its toll on the 26 year old, “El Viejo Jr.” (Roberto “El Viejo” Valenzuela Sr. 69-80-2, 56Ko’s) forcing referee Mark Nelson to step in and stop the punishment at 2:59 of round eight. Lucero improves to 18-0, 14Ko’s as Valenzuela’s five bout knockout streak comes to a close at 31-6, 29Ko’s.

Opening the PBC on Prime Video televised card Las Vegas, Nevada, based super bantamweight, Luis “The Twist” Nunez maintained his perfect record with a unanimous decision victory over Buenos Aires, Argentina’s, Hector “La Maquinita” Sosa.

The competitive, see-saw, ten rounder seeing both corners have their moments with the busier more aggressive Argentine, Sosa showing rushes of aggression only to be countered by the taller, longer, more technical Dominican Nunez consistently landing the cleaner, sharper, harder shots showcasing solid uppercuts and left hooks influencing all three judges who rewarded Nunez with a solid 98-92, 97-93, 96-94 unanimous decision win. Nunez improves to 22-0, 14Ko’s. Sosa 2-2 in his last four appearances falls to 18-4, 9Ko’s.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, undefeated super middleweight prospect, Daniel “Ice Man” Blancas held onto his unbeaten status with a dominant third-round knockout of Virginia Beach, Virginia, William Townsel.

The 24-year-old, David Benavidez sparring partner steadily applied pressure from the opening bell over powering and countering the southpaw, Virginian catching and “icing” him with a brutal left hook forcing referee Chris Ypung to immediately call the bout at twenty-one seconds of the third round. Blancas 3-0 in 2025 moves to 14-0, 7Ko’s. Townsel with consecutive losses falls to 8-3, 6Ko’s.

In a four-round pairing of 22-year-old, super flyweights, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, Jordan Roach, the younger brother of headliner Lamont Roach stayed unbeaten out with a unanimous decision win over Weslaco, Texas, Bryan Santiago. Roach utilizing technical skill, superior speed and ring generalship outworked and outboxed Santiago with all three judges awarded Roach a clear 39-37, 40-36 times two four round unanimous decision win. Roach improved to 6-0, 2Ko’s as Santiago 1-3 in his last four bouts falls to 2-4-1.

In a four-round match of Texas, super lightweights, San Antonio, southpaw, Adrian Neaves, improved to 4-0 with a unanimous decision victory over Harlingen’s, Roberto Castro. Fighting in front of his hometown crowd, Neaves controlled the action from the opening bell, landing clean combinations and dictating the pace throughout forcing Castro to take a knee after a drilling left to the body enroute to a 40-35 times three unanimous decision win. Neaves moves to 4-0, 1KO. The on again / off again Castro evens out at 3-3, 1Ko.

Las Vegas, Nevada, lightweight, Robert “El Pistolero” Guerrero, the 18-year-old, son of three-time IBF Featherweight Champion, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero maintained his undefeated record with a hard-earned unanimous decision victory over El Paso, Texas, Eduardo Tarango.

Guerrero III, “a chip off the old block” demonstrated the poise and technical skill of a maturing prospect quickly establishing control of the center ring with his jab and dictated the pace working accurate combinations and a steady body attack breaking down the rugged, aggressive and very durable, 38-year-old, Texan for a workman like 40-38 times three, four round unanimous decision. Guerrero moves to 7-0, 2Ko’s. Tarango back in the red drops to 1-4.

In a four round preliminary bout, Springdale, Maryland, undefeated welterweight prospect, Benjamin Johnson stayed “perfect” stopping Whittier, California's, Josias Gonzalez.

The 20-year-old, Marylander, Johnson controlled the action from the opening bell, using quick, sharp combinations, and relentless pressure to break down the 30-year-old, southpaw, dropping Gonzalez with a left hook in the second round. A definitive finisher, Johnson went straight back to work in the next stanza with an unanswered, undefended barrage of punches prompting referee Robert Hoyle to wave off the fight at 1:47 of the third round. Johnson improves to 6-0, 6Ko’s. Gonzalez now 2-5 in his last seven outings drops to 2-6-2.

About the Premier Boxing Champions

Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), was created for television by Haymon Sports, LLC, in January 2015.  PBC is a boxing series that returns the sweet science to its rightful place atop the sports pantheon.

Featuring today’s best and brightest stars in their toughest, most anticipated bouts, Premier Boxing Champions is broadcast live and free to air on SHOWTIME, FOX, FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes, Bounce and ITV.

PBC takes boxing back to its roots. This is boxing, pure and simple, where what’s brought to the fight, mentally and physically, is what determines who goes home the winner, and who just goes home.

Bouts featured within the PBC Series are promoted by licensed promoters, with each bout in accordance with applicable regulatory rules and regulations.