Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is defeated, sidelined by surgery through the first half of 2026, and absent.
That leaves an opening for a 20-something successor to lure in a segment of Alvarez’s massive fan base.
While unbeaten Mexican-American junior middleweight Vergil Ortiz Jnr did his part Saturday night in Texas by ripping through former title challenger Erickson Lubin by second-round knockout, the power-punching WBC 140lbs interim titlist Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz is drawing a herd of fans for his December 6 Lone Star State main-event appearance on pay-per-view (Prime Video, PPV.COM) versus Lamont Roach Jnr.
Although part of the allure of the coming San Antonio card on Premier Boxing Champions is connected to the stacked nature of it, as middleweight champions Erislandy Lara and Janibek Alimkhanuly square off in a unification bout and WBC junior lightweight titleholder O’Shaquie Foster defends his belt versus two-division champion Stephen Fulton, it’s Mexico’s Cruz, 28-3-1 (18 KOs), who has enthused the masses with his charm and yearning for knockouts.
He hinted at his understanding of that by saying he is “planning something special” for Roach.
“First of all, it’s been about going day by day, getting better, preparing as well as I can, doing all the things to give the fans a great fight,” Cruz, 27, said. “It’s all about paying back the investment my fans have made to my fights – whether it’s in pay-per-view or coming to the arena. It’s my duty to pay them back with a great product in the ring.”
The appreciation is fervent.
“Right now, the fight’s on track to be a complete sellout,” Cruz manager Sean Gibbons said, a claim supported by an experienced ticket broker who is overseeing secondary market sales at the NBA arena, Frost Bank Center. “The floor’s gone, and the gate is trending over $1 million – for two guys not from Texas.
“But ‘Pitbull-mania’ is in full effect versus a guy in Lamont Roach who has so much credibility.”
Roach, from Washington, D.C., is the WBA junior lightweight belt holder making his second consecutive step up in weight after fighting WBA lightweight titlist Gervonta “Tank” Davis to a March 1 draw at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in a bout many believed Roach won after being deprived of a knockdown.
San Antonio’s distinguished boxing history in hosting the likes of Julio Cesar Chavez Snr, Oscar De La Hoya and Canelo Alvarez has set the foundation for Cruz’s appearance after he, too, fought Davis tough and last year won the WBA 140lbs belt by defeating current welterweight titlist Rolando “Rolly” Romero.
“It’s always beautiful to have my name up among those who have fought in San Antonio,” Cruz said. “I’m always glad to be able to fight in San Antonio, because there have been so many great fights there.”
Cruz expressed respect and appreciation for his 35-year-old countryman and four-division champion Alvarez, 63-3-2 (39 KOs), who surrendered his undisputed super middleweight title to Terence Crawford on September 13 in Las Vegas and then underwent surgery on his left elbow, which will sideline him until later in 2026.
A void for younger fighters, particularly Ortiz, Cruz, Teofimo Lopez Jnr and Ryan Garcia, is there to seize.
“Look, there’s nothing to take away from Canelo, because he has done absolutely everything he’s put his mind to – being undisputed, pay-per-view, winning multiple titles,” Cruz said. “Over 20 years, he’s built a career that could only attempt to be replicated.
“Having said that, Father Time comes for all of us. The pounding takes its toll. Canelo may not be who he used to be. At the same time, I know I’m not going to be the one who retires him or says when he should step away. That should be on his own terms.
“When that happens, I’m going to be ready to take the mantle, whether that means carrying the Mexican flag with pride, being the one who sells the most pay-per-views … anything that’s required as the future face of boxing for me as a Mexican, I’m going to be ready for it.”
Gibbons said it’s that kind of attitude that endears his fighter to the masses.
“It’s no surprise people are turning out for Pitbull. I love Lamont Roach, but he and his corner will likely be his only fans there,” Gibbons said. “This is Pitbull’s house. Viva Mexico!”
Gibbons said that while Ortiz’s performance Saturday was strong, there’s a pent-up desire by fight fans to attend a strong US card after so many bouts and big names have defected to Saudi Arabia during the past two years.
“A Pitbull versus Roach bout is a real fight. … I’d make Roach a little favorite, like 60-40,” Gibbons said. “So whoever comes out of that, especially Pitbull, should be the face of boxing – Mexican boxing – going into 2026.”
The card also leads into what’s expected to be a strong string of early 2026 domestic shows featuring Raymond Muratalla-Andy Cruz, Teofimo Lopez Jnr-Shakur Stevenson, Ryan Garcia-Mario Barrios, Emanuel Navarrete-Eduardo Nunez and more in the first quarter.
Cruz has had trouble with boxers including Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela, who took his belt in August 2024 (only to surrender it to Gary Antuanne Russell in March) and in victory by a sliver over Giovanni Cabrera.
Is he more concerned with the boxing of Roach, 25-1-2 (10 KOs), than the power that appeared to drop Davis in a notorious non-call?
“You can’t take anything for granted with Roach. He’s very capable,” Cruz said. “His boxing expertise is significant. That’s why we’re preparing to cover all the bases. We don’t want to be surprised by anything. Our plan is for him to be surprised.
“We’re going to go after the win no matter what, to win each and every round. If the knockout comes, it comes. My main goal is to come out with my hand raised.”
Cruz said he has no preference over which 140lbs belt holder to pursue next, with Richardson Hitchins and Subriel Matias also in the group with Lopez and Russell.
“All four of them are interesting. My goal is to defeat Lamont Roach on December 6,” Cruz said.
“It will mean I made a statement with authority, that I have everything in front of me, and it will mean I’ve put the world on notice that I’m ready to be the new face of Mexican boxing.”
Lance Pugmire is BoxingScene’s senior U.S. writer and an assistant producer for ProBox TV. Pugmire has covered boxing since the early 2000s, first at the Los Angeles Times and then at The Athletic and USA Today. He won the Boxing Writers’ Association of America’s Nat Fleischer Award in 2022 for career excellence.
