By Jen: I felt compelled to make last Saturday’s fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao the subject of my first blog post as it was such an event, so let’s get started.
Leo Santa Cruz
Leo Santa Cruz hoping to win a lot more fans on Saturday
By Dan Ambrose: Unbeaten WBC super bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz (29-0-1, 17 KOs) has a high visibility spot on this Saturday’s Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao fight card at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The 26-year-old Santa Cruz will be fighting in the co-feature bout against in what appears to be an over-matched Jose Cayetano (17-3, 8 KOs) in a 10 round bout in the 126 pound [featherweight] division. This is what you would call a “showcase” bout for Santa Cruz.
Leo Santa Cruz to face Jose Cayetano on May 2nd at MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada
By Dan Ambrose: WBC super bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz (29-0-1, 17 KOs) has been given another opponent for his May 2nd fight on the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao card at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Santa Cruz, 26, will be fighting Tijuana resident Jose Cayetano (17-3, 8 KOs) in a 10 round non-title bout.
Like the two previous opponents, Cayetano is a 2nd tier fighter with a mediocre record and a recent loss. He’s not ranked top 15 at 122, and he’s never beaten anyone of note. The two previous opponents that were tentatively scheduled to face Santa Cruz on the May 2nd card were Anthony Settoul (20-3, 8 KOs) and Alexis Santiago (18-3-1, 8 KOs).
Leo Santa Cruz moving up to 126 for May 2nd Mayweather-Pacquiao card
By Dan Ambrose: Leo Santa Cruz (29-0-1, 17 KOs) will be fighting in the co-feature spot on the May 2nd Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao card at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Santa Cruz, 26, won’t be defending his WBC super bantamweight title, according to Dan Rafael.
Santa Cruz plans on vacating that title and moving up to featherweight where he hopes to face former three division world champion Abner Mares in the near future.
Leo Santa Cruz vs. Alexis Santiago possible for May 2nd on Mayweather-Pacquiao card
By Dan Ambrose: A mismatch between WBC super bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz (29-0-1, 17 KOs) and #14 WBO bantamweight fringe contender Alexis Santiago (18-3-1, 8 KOs) is being talked about for the co-main event on the May 2nd undercard of the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao mega-fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
There had been talk of Santa Cruz facing #3 WBO Zsolt Bedak, but they’re now looking at putting Santa Cruz in with a bantamweight rather than someone from his own weight class at super bantamweight.
Mayweather vs. Pacquiao undercard update
As Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao fight night approaches, Mayweather Promotions announced today that undefeated Mexican superstar and current WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (29-0-1, 17 KOs) will be featured on the three-fight pay-per-view televised undercard against an opponent to be determined.
Leo Santa Cruz to fight on Mayweather vs. Pacquiao card
By Dan Ambrose: WBC super bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz (29-0-1, 17 KOs) will be added to the television portion of the Floyd Mayweather Jr vs. Manny Pacquiao fight card on May 2nd on HBO and Showtime at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The opponent for the 26-year-old Santa Cruz has yet to be determined. Santa Cruz has taken a lot of heat recently for his three consecutive mismatches against Jesus Ruiz, Manuel Roman and Cristian Mijares.
Mares wants Gonzalez or Santa Cruz Next
By Everest Castaneda: In an interview with ESPN Deportes, former WBC featherweight champion Abner Mares (29-1-1, 15 KOs) spoke about his next possible opponent, which may include a fight with undefeated WBC super bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz (29-0-1, 17 KOs) or a rematch with WBC featherweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez (57-8, 48 KOs).
To recapitulate, Gonzalez knocked out Mares in the first round of their scheduled 12 round WBC title fight.
Mares also reiterated the problems he experienced in his recent, hard fought 10 round unanimous decision victory against Arturo Santos Reyes (18-5, 5 KOs). First, Mares discussed the issues he felt in the ring on fight night. He declared, “I felt fine in the fight, but somewhat tired, fatigued, I was a little sick.”
Leo Santa Cruz parts ways with GBP
By Lou Eisen: In a rather surprising move, the WBC world super bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz (29-0-1, KO17) has parted ways with his longtime promoter, Golden Boy Promotions and joined forces with boxing’s number one power broker, Al Haymon. Haymon used to act as an adviser Santa Cruz but now has become his full time manager of record.
To be precise, Al Haymon purchased the contract of Santa Cruz from Golden Boy Promotions, taking sole control of his already flourishing career.
Golden Boy sells Leo Santa Cruz’s contract to Al Haymon
By Dan Ambrose: In a surprising move, Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya has reportedly sold the contract for Golden Boy fighter WBC super bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz (29-0-1, 17 KOs) to adviser Al Haymon for an undisclosed amount of money, according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.
Santa Cruz, 26, has a large fan base in the United States, and he was still under contract until 2016. Rafael is saying that De La Hoya sold the contract because he was frustrated at being unable to set Santa Cruz up with big names like WBA/WBO 122 pound champion Guillermo Rigondeaux due to Haymon, who was already Santa Cruz’s adviser, blocking the fights.