Leo Santa Cruz Brushes Off Critics of Roman Bout

By Edward Chaykovsky

WBC super bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz (27-1, 15KOs) is brushing off the critics who believes his upcoming defense against Manuel Roman (17-2-3, 6KOs) is a mismatch. The fight is going to be the co-featured bout on the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Marcos Maidana Showtime Pay-Per-View on September 13th from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

And there are many critics who feel this encounter is unworthy of a top position on a Mayweather pay-per-view event.

Santa Cruz does not views his fight as a mismatch. He used to spar with Roman and knows him very well. He expects a very tough, physical fight.

"Yeah, they can say on paper it might be-you guys might say this and that and other things, but I've known Roman since amateurs, he was a really good in amateur, and I sparred with him two or three years ago, and we used to work really good in the gym. We used to go to war in the gym and the sparring and everything," Santa Cruz said.

"So other people that don't know him but he's a great fighter. He has great punches, great technique. He's good at everything, so I think he's going to give it his all just like me like me, I never underestimate nobody. I always train 100% because those are the fights that are harder. They're the ones that are hungrier."

"Manuel is going to come out here and he's going to get a war, so I think we're both 100% ready, and we're going to go out there and give a great, great fight."