By Jake Tiernan: Former Cuban amateur star Andy Cruz (1-0) won his professional debut last Saturday night, putting on a pro performance by beating 35-year-old ringside veteran Juan Carlos Burgos by a ten-round unanimous decision that brought a smile to his face. promoter Eddie Hearn’s face at the Masonic Temple in Detroit.
Cruz won the fight by the scores of 100-90, 100-90 and 98-92. 2020 Olympic gold medalist Cruz played it safe, punching and walking away safely all night.
Burgos revealed Cruz’s weakness
When Burgos punched him in the attic, he made it clear he didn’t like it.
The veteran Burgos exposed Cruz’s weakness by hitting him to the body, and he was able to knock him back every time he was attacked.
Every time Burgos hit Cruz in the body, the reaction was noticeable, with the former Cuban amateur star recoiling as if he had received a powerful jolt from 250 volts of electricity.
Obviously, if Cruz can’t even handle body shots from an oldie like Burgos, how the hell is he going to handle getting hit to the body by guys like Isaac Cruz, Keyshawn Davis, Vasily Lomachenko or Shakur Stevenson?
For the most part, Cruz fought like he was still an amateur, focusing on throwing punches with little power to the head of the sluggish, sluggish Burgos (35-8-3, 21 KO).
After the fight, Hearn was in loser’s denialnot wanting to admit that Cruz didn’t look like the future lightweight division star he thought he was when he inked him into his Matchroom stable.
The way Cruz played, he looked like an ordinary contender at the fringe level, but not one of the top ten who inhabit the treacherous waters of the top five in the 135-pound division.
It was very boring to watchbecause Cruz doesn’t possess an entertaining, fan-pleasing style like other lightweights in the division, like these fighters:
– Shakur Stevenson
–Gervonta Davis
– Vasily Lomachenko
–Isaac Cruz
– Keyshawn Davis
–Raymond Muratalla
-George Kambosos Jr.
Is Andy Cruz really 28?
Although listed at 28, Cruz is approaching 35and he might not have more than a year or two left before he’s too old to do anything in the lightweight division.
Cruz was the same age as Burgos, 35, last night, and that’s what stood out. Yes, Andy had the speed, but physically no difference in how they looked.
If anything, Burgos looked like the youngest, and if that’s the reality, Cruz could be as young as 37, which is bad news for Hearn because it would mean he’s going to have to throw him deep in the dark. lightweight. division right away rather than waiting three to five years.
If Cruz is over 28, maybe as late as 34 or 35, Hearn will have to move him at lightning speed to get ahead of the small window where he has to do anything before
Reaction to Andy Cruz criticism
“You look at Twitter. “Andy Cruz is a bit boring.” Lou Dibella is over there, ‘Not for me, not my cup of tea.‘ If you had the chance to sign it, you would sign it, wouldn’t you? Eddie Hearn told Boxing Social of his new addition to the Matchoom Boxing stable, 2020 Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz after his pro debut last Saturday night against Juan Carlos Burgos.
Instead of Hearn reacting with annoyance to Andy Cruz’s criticism on social media, he has to admit that it’s 100% valid.
You hate to say it, but Cruz is boring to watch, and he doesn’t have the kind of pro style that makes you want to watch him fight. Cruz was a successful fighter in the amateur ranks but far from unbeatable at 140-9 with just 10 knockouts.
The guys Cruz beat in the amateurs were mostly fighters who didn’t have the talent to be the best professional fighters. The only one Cruz has beaten with pro talent is Keyshawn Davis, who barely won those matches.
“Andy Cruz just made his professional debut; he boxed a 10 rounds. He went ten rounds with Burgos in an all action fight, he barely got hit, he won every round, his movement, his shot selection, he hurt Burgos and he was aggressive. All those things,” Hearn said sounding like a used car salesman trying to convince a buyer to buy an old car with 300,000 miles on the clock.
“Imagine if he had gone out there in a six-rounder tonight against a muppet. Imagine the abuse you’d get and the stick. You can’t win anyway,” Hearn said.
“This kid is an exceptional talent. I think it was a great performance, and those ten rounds under his belt will mean he can move on to a tougher fight next time. I thought it was a great performance. »
Hearn will have to overpay
Whether he likes it or not, Hearn will have to move Andy Cruz much faster than he would have liked if he is to offer him a title shot before he is too old to do anything in the game. lightweight division.
Hearn will have to overspend making a huge money offer if he wants to set up a Cruz fight with one of the best guys in the 135-pound division.
No other promoter will willingly put their fighter with a pure boxer like Cruz because he will be looking to win a decision, and he won’t be there to be hit.
These types of fighters are avoided, as we see with Shakur Stevenson, a much better version of Andy Cruz. The good news is that Hearn has deep pockets to overpay top fighters to take on Cruz, but it’s unclear if he’ll want to do that.
If Hearn thinks top promoters will let their fighters fight Cruz for fun, he’s dreaming. That will never happen, and Cruz will soon be too old and crippled to be worth anything to Hearn if he doesn’t open his wallet to overpay his opponents.
“That’s life, man. We live in a world of opinions,” Hearn said when asked why Andy Cruz receives criticism from boxing fans, and everyone has an opinion.
“These people deserve an opinion, that’s what platforms are for, and everyone has their different opinions, but I think sometimes they’re not even valid or neutral. That’s the difference.
“When you break it down and realize what Andy Cruz did tonight, this kid is going to be an exceptional fighter,” Hearn said angrily.
Eddie looks cheated here, magnifying Cruz’s win over you mate Burgos and making it look like he beat an elite-level fighter instead of an old veteran.