Subscribe
Follow Us
Returning for the first time since losing the WBA super lightweight title, Isaac ‘Pitbull' Cruz (26-3-1) will face Angel Fierro (23-2) on Feb. 1. It's time to continue our boxing odds series with a Cruz-Fierro prediction and pick.
Cruz, 26, is coming off a disappointing loss to Jose Valenzuela in a fight that he closed as a 7-1 favorite. The loss drops him to just 1-1 in the super lightweight division. Before the loss, he rattled off four big wins in a row, including three by devastating knockout.
Fierro is getting his chance to break into the title scene despite being just 1-1 in his last two fights. However, the Mexican bounced back from his recent loss to Alfredo Santiago by topping Eleazar Valenzuela Carrillo in November 2024.
Here are the Isaac Cruz-Angel Fierro odds, courtesy of FanDuel
Boxing Odds: Isaac Cruz-Angel Fierro Odds
Isaac Cruz: -1100
Angel Fierro: +540
Over 7.5 Rounds:
Under 7.5 Rounds:
How to Watch Isaac Cruz vs. Angel Fierro
Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
Fight ring walk time (estimated): 9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT
TV/Stream: Amazon Prime Video PPV
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access / Save $30)*
Why Isaac Cruz Will Win
Fans who grew fond of Pitbull over the past two years were severely disappointed in August 2024 when Jose Valenzuela outclassed him. For the first time since becoming the champion, his reckless fight style failed to work. Regardless, the Premier Boxing Champions are determined to get him back on track.
Overall, Fierro's 23-2 record looks nice on paper. They also managed to bill the fight as an all-Mexican war to appeal to the Hispanic fanbase. But in his four fights outside of Mexico, Fierro is just 1-2-1. He will go from fighting a sub-500 journeyman on a three-fight losing streak to facing a fan-favorite slugger in front of 20,000 fans.
Fierro is also the perfect opponent for Pitbull to style on. Despite his size, he loves to come forward and engage in brawls, which is unmistakably not how to beat Cruz. Fierro has a bad habit of dropping both hands in close and relying on his chin, which is easily the biggest mistake he could make against Cruz.
Why Angel Fierro Will Win
Skeptical fans have long criticized Cruz's fight style, but it took several years for someone to finally expose his flaws. Once Valenzuela did that, he essentially wrote the script on how to beat the one-dimensional Cruz.
Cruz always has one game plan in his mind and never strays from it. He only fights in one gear and swings with every pound in his body with practically every punch. When it lands, he creates a highlight, but Valenzuela displayed how a bigger, more disciplined fighter can swiftly shut him down.
Like most regional prospects, Fierro has won most of his fights by knockout. He cannot come into this fight expecting to put Cruz away. Not even Gervonta Davis was able to crack his granite chin. Instead, he has to recognize the significant five-inch reach advantage he will have and fight behind his jab. Cruz showed against Valenzuela that if he cannot wear on his opponent early, he has no plan B to fall back on.
Final Isaac Cruz-Angel Fierro Prediction & Pick
With how aggressive Cruz typically comes out, one can only imagine how hot he will come out of the gate five months after a frustrating loss. There is never a feeling-out process in Cruz's fights, and Fierro has the same tenacity to match his energy for as long as the fight lasts.
Neither fighter has ever been knocked out, but Fierro's chin is not like Cruz's. The last time Fierro fought a noteworthy opponent, he was knocked down twice by Alberto Machado before rallying in the sixth round for a comeback TKO. He has been duped by his poor strength of schedule into believing too much in his chin.
When — not if — the fighters throw caution to the wind, Fierro simply cannot match Cruz's power or chin. Fierro's size advantage seems unlikely to become a factor. Cruz is in this fight to get back into the title picture and remind fans why they loved him to begin with.
Final Isaac Cruz-Angel Fierro Prediction & Pick: Fight does not go the distance (-112)