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Erika Cruz proved beneath no unsure circumstances that her title win was no fluke.
The 32-year-old southpaw from Mexico Metropolis claimed a repeat win over Jelena Mrdjenovich, soundly outpointing the previous two-division champ over ten rounds. All three judges scored the competition 100-90 in favor of Cruz, who efficiently defended her WBA featherweight title of their DAZN co-feature Saturday night at Centro de Usos Multiples in Hermosillo, Mexico.
Mrdjenovich confessed to preventing with a heavy coronary heart throughout their first combat, mourning the lack of her earlier coach and her focus not the place it belonged. Going by with their April 2021 combat resulted in Mrdjenovich’s prolonged title reign coming to a bitter finish when she dropped a lopsided technical resolution defeat in West Level, New York.
The 40-year-old from Edmonton, Canada jumped out to a powerful begin, punching together and absorbing the recommendation of recent head coach and world-class cornerman SugarHill Steward. Cruz ended the spherical with a proper hook, which Mrdjenovich took effectively.
Cruz pressured a busier tempo in spherical two, bullying her well past Mrdjenovich’s lengthy jab to work her method inside. Mrdjenovich discovered herself caught up in a heated trade, to not her profit as she was rocked by a Cruz proper hook on the middle of the ring.
Mrdjenovich was warned for hitting behind the top early in spherical three, the tactic drawing harsh jeers from the partisan crowd in favor of the defending titlist from Mexico Metropolis. Motion resumed with Cruz forcing a brawl at a time when Mrdjenovich regarded to field.
Cruz continued to supply a excessive motor in spherical 4. Mrdjenovich tried to keep up distance however was pressured to face and trade. Cruz landed an overhand left that created swelling beneath the suitable eye of Mrdjenovich towards the again half of the spherical.
The group as soon as once more voiced its displeasure early in spherical six as a clinch by Mrdjenovich resulted in Cruz falling to the canvas. Mrdjenovich was capable of finding a house for her proper hand, touchdown with higher frequency than at every other level within the combat. Cruz got here again with proper hooks upstairs and a physique shot close to the tip of the spherical which was met with a last proper by Mrdjenovich.
A straight left hand by Cruz brought on Mrdjenovich’s knees to buckle early in spherical seven. Mrdjenovich managed to assemble herself however was nonetheless loading up on her punches which Cruz was in a position to exploit. Mrdjenovich hoped to show round issues early in spherical eight, touchdown a straight proper solely to get clipped with an overhand left by Cruz.
Mrdjenovich was urged by Steward to promote out within the last six rounds, remembering the fundamentals and utilizing all of his bodily attributes to show issues round. Cruz was not but prepared to present again the title, driving out lengthy proper arms to supply punches in bunches. A left hand by Cruz snapped again the top of Mrdjenovich, who managed to reply with a proper hand. Each fighters had been cheated out of some seconds after spilling to the canvas, because the timekeeper by no means stopped the clock after time was referred to as by the referee.
It mattered little as Mrdjenovich was too far behind and never a risk to land a game-changing punch wanted to erase the deficit. The previous eight-time titleholder in two divisions falls to 41-12-2 (19KOs) in what was maybe her final second as a related participant within the featherweight title image.
Cruz advances to 15-1 (3KOs), extending her present fourteen-fight win streak as she defends her WBA featherweight title for the second time. The win was simply as dominant as when she claimed the belt from Mrdjenovich of their first combat greater than sixteen months in the past.
With the win, demand will come for Cruz to face the winner of the September 24 featherweight unification bout between WBC/WBO/IBO champ Amanda Serrano (42-2-1, 30KOs) and IBF titlist Sarah Mahfoud. Cruz might probably first face necessary challenger Nina Meinke earlier than eyeing an undisputed combat in 2023.
Headlining the present, lineal junior bantamweight champion and native hero Juan Francisco Estrada (42-3, 28KOs) faces countryman Argi Cortes (23-2-2, 10KOs) in a scheduled twelve-round contest.
Jake Donovan is a senior author for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
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