Isaac Cruz battered Rolly Romero and took his WBA super-lightweight world title on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
The Mexican challenger stopped the American champion in the eighth round of what was largely a one-sided beatdown.
The fight began with a dramatic opening round as Cruz pursued Romero from the opening bell.
The challenger nailed his opponent several times within the first three minutes.
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By the end of the first, Romero was staggering around the ring and fortunate to avoid a knockdown.
Although the writing looked to be on the wall already, the American recovered well.
In the next two rounds, he worked patiently with his jab and began to time Cruz with his right hand.
However, momentum then swung back in the other direction as Romero was on the back foot once again.
Cruz dedicated himself to assaulting the body in rounds four and five, and the American appeared to be feeling the effects as he was deducted a point for excessive holding.
As they passed the halfway point, the contest seemed to be playing out in Cruz’s favour as he hammered Romero from pillar to post once more in the seventh.
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Before the start of the eighth, a doctor checked the American over to make sure he was able to continue.
Romero got the all-clear, but didn’t last much longer.
Cruz pounced on him in round eight, teeing off with hooks once again and prompting the referee to jump in and stop the contest.
Prior to the first bell, Gervonta Davis made his prediction of the fight between his two former foes.
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He claimed Romero would win by stoppage, but was proved wrong in dramatic fashion.
