- What: Rolando Romero vs Isaac Cruz
- Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
- When: Saturday, March 30th
As part of the Tszyu vs Fundora undercard, Rolando Romero will put his WBA junior lightweight title on the line against Isaac Cruz. This will be the first time Romero will attempt to defend the belt. He's held it since May 2023 when Romero beat Ismael Barroso. Cruz won't have any shortage of confidence either, having won three straight fights, with two coming via knockout. This should be an interesting fight at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas between two young up-and-comers in the division.
Before we get into the odds and predictions for this fight, check out the best boxing betting sites and where you can find our sportsbook reviews.
Romero vs Cruz Odds
| Fighter |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rolando Romero | +200 | +225 | +210 |
| Isaac Cruz | -260 | -300 | -260 |
Despite Romero being the champ, Cruz is actually the favorite at -260 odds. Romero comes back at +200. Usually, you'll see a much bigger difference in the odds in most fights, but this one is relatively close and could go either way.
Can Romero Retain Belt?
Rolando Romero might not be a huge name in boxing, but he has an impressive resume. The American owns a 15-1 record with 13 knockouts in his career and is a two-division champ. He also had the interim lightweight belt from 2020 to 2021. Romero first made his pro debut in 2016 and started off with a bang, registering four straight knockouts. In fact, his first loss didn't come until 2022 when Gervonta Davis knocked him out for the WBA lightweight title. But, Romero did bounce back last year.
The Las Vegas native, who will be fighting at home on Saturday, came out and took care of Barroso, knocking him out in the ninth round. Barroso actually outboxed Romero in numerous areas but the 29-year-old got the last laugh with the stoppage. There is a plethora of talent at 140 lbs like Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez and although Romero isn't known by many, he does have the ability to make his presence felt. Romero relies more on his sheer power rather than his technical gifts, as you can see by the KO numbers.
And after his last fight, Romero definitely has something to prove because when you glance at the statistics, Barroso should've won. If that bout went the distance, it would be Barroso in this position and not Romero. However, you also have to keep in that Romero took that fight on three weeks notice so it's honestly impressive in itself that he even won. "Rolly" has also hired a new coach for this upcoming bout, which should play a part in what happens. Romero will be driven to defend the belt.
Cruz is no Pushover
Isaac Cruz is a stud in his own right and has more fights under his belt, compiling a 25-2-1 record. Just like Romero, Cruz also fought Gervonta Davis and managed to give "Tank" a run for his money, losing via unanimous decision back in 2021 in Los Angeles. He's currently ranked within the top-10 of the lightweight division and has beaten some pretty big names in his nine-year career, including Francisco Vargas and Yuriorkis Gamboa.
The Mexican is very tough and tends to always put his best foot forward when he steps in the ring. Last time out, however, Cruz wasn't at his absolute best, just barely defeating Giovanni Cabrera via split decision and that fight was at 135 lbs. Cruz makes the jump to 140 here. His go-to punch is the left hook, which could cause some problems for Romero is he's not careful. There's a reason Cruz is nicknamed "Pitbull". There's also a reason Oscar De La Hoya is saying Cruz will knock out Romero and snatch the belt. He's that good.
Cruz stands at 5 foot 4 while Romero is 5 foot 8. Don't think for a second that will intimidate Cruz though, who has proven he isn't scared of anyone. Cruz also has a reach disadvantage but he'll be looking to land one big shot and potentially put Romero on the ground. Expect this one to be very competitive and potentially the best fight of the entire card.
Rolando Romero vs Isaac Cruz picks
This is a difficult one to call, but I really like Cruz's resume, heart, and determination. I think that will help him beat Romero and in the process, grab the WBA belt from "Rolly" on Saturday evening in Vegas. Take the moneyline.
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