Trainer Derek ‘Bozy’ Ennis believes that Shakur Stevenson has got an easy fight ahead of him against former lightweight world title challenger Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz in their WBC-ordered fight.
During Wednesday’s WBC convention, the sanctioning body ordered #2 lightweight contender Pitbull Cruz (24-2-1, 17 KOs) and #4 Shakur (19-0, 9 KOs) to battle it out next.
The winner of the fight will challenge the winner of the undisputed lightweight bout between champion Devin Haney and Vasily Lomachenko.
Although Stevenson has captured two division world titles since turning professional in 2017, he’s not fought a punching machine like Isaac Cruz, so it’s difficult to know for certain how he’ll deal with his style.
What Stevenson can’t afford is to run around the ring and bore boxing fans as he did in his fight with Jeremiah Nakathilia in 2021. If Stevenson gets a reputation as a runner, he’ll never shake it.
Pitbull Cruz arguably beat Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis in their fight in December 2021, getting the better of the one-handed fighter. Although Tank was given the win, many fans saw Pitbull as the clear winner.
Since that loss, Cruz has won his last two fights by early knockout against Eduardo Ramirez and Yuriorkis Gamboa. Pitbull looked really impressive stopping Ramirez in the second round last September in Los Angeles. If Cruz fights like that against Shakur, he’s going to give the 2016 Olympian loads of trouble.
“Good fight. I’ve got Shakur Stevenson all the way, man,” said Derek Bozy Ennis to YSM Sports Media when asked about his thoughts on the WBC ordering Shakur Stevenson vs. Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz during Wednesday’s convention in Mexico.
“I think that’s an easy fight for Shakur. People think that’s a hard fight. I don’t. I like Pitbull. Pitbull coming at you. See, that’s another thing. Shakur has got to be on his P’s and Q’s with this kid because that little Pitbull, he throws a lot of punches too.
“He comes in and tries to break you down. You better be able to hurt him because if you don’t hurt him, he’s going to walk through you. Shakur will sit down. If you notice, he’s been sitting down lately, even though he’s been getting touched a little bit lately, but not like the rest of the fighters getting touched.
“I think that’s a great fight, man. The only reason it was a tough fight like that with him and Tank because Tank messed his hand up,” said Ennis when asked if the Stevenson-Cruz fight will be similar to the Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis vs. Pitbull Cruz clash last December in Los Angeles.
“Tank fought with one hand, and to me, Tank beat him easily with one hand. The only reason it was difficult because he didn’t have the other hand. They tried to say it was a close fight. Nah, I don’t look at it like it was a close fight.
“I told everybody, ‘Y’all don’t understand, Tank can box. Nobody never seen him box. I seen him box before.’ That’s when they called me up and said, ‘You wasn’t lying. He can box.’ I told y’all he can box.’ I’ve been around a long time. That boy can box. He box when he wants to box.
“You see what he did with Rolly. He boxed and stayed away. He got touched a little bit, but he looked good doing it. He set him up for the knockout. This is good,” said Bozy when asked if this is a good fight for Shakur to face Pitbull Cruz in his debut at 135.
“Devin? Yeah, that’s another good fight,” said Ennis when told that the winner of the Stevenson vs. Cruz fight will face undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney.
