Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
Leo Santa Cruz is close to returning to action in the ring. The Mexican boxer will face Keenan Carbajal on February 5 at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, on a card commanded by the fight between Keith Thurman and Mario Barrios. After more than a year of absence, Santa Cruz confessed, in an exclusive interview for La Opinion, “being ready for war.”
“We want to finish as soon as possible, in the first rounds. If possible I want to knock him out. If things go well, before the fifth round I can finish it. But we are also prepared for ten rounds. I’m prepared for a whole war”, he sentenced.
The last fight of the Aztec boxer took place on October 31, 2020. More than a year has passed since Cruz’s defeat at the hands of Gervonta Davis. After a long wait, the Mexican acknowledged that he was ready to put his gloves back on and reappear against Carbajal.
“The truth is that yes (he is eager to return). Since I’m going back I’m excited and happy. I will try to put up a great fight for all the fans (…) Keenan Carbajal is a fighter who has been doing a good job and putting pressure. We are ready for him and for everything,” he acknowledged.
A great streak against Mexicans
Keenan Carbajal has achieved 25 victories during his professional career. The boxer born in Phoenix, Arizona, has among his favorite opponents the fighters born in Mexico. 15 Aztec fighters have fallen to the power of Carbajal’s fists, record that Santa Cruz will seek to stop and so on avenge his countrymen.
“Sure, that’s what we want to do. We want to go to avenge all those countrymen. I want to be the Mexican who defeats him. I want to be the first to end that streak. Hopefully everything goes well and finish with that record, “said the boxer born in Michoacan, Mexico.
In the memory of Santa Cruz is still the defeat against Davis
More than ten months passed, since Leo Santa Cruz was defeated by Gervonta Davis, for the Mexican to seriously resume his disciplined gym exercises. The Mexican boxer revealed that the support of his followers and people around him, They allowed him to move on.
“It was in August or September that I started to train well (…) My fans, all of them motivated me. They told me that I had a good fight (against Gervonta Davis) and the truth is that I did. I didn’t lose to just any fighter, I lost to a big explosive champion. I feel like I still have a lot more fighters to fight. My dad and my team also motivated me,” he explained.
Despite having lost, Santa Cruz acknowledged that he was satisfied with his performance, until Gervonta Davis managed to connect with that strong left uppercut. Despite insisting on a quick rematch, his proposal was rejected.
“I was putting up a good fight against him, but then there was that punch that landed on me and knocked me out.. But that’s boxing. If I would plant a rematch against Gervonta Davis. At the moment I asked for it. They didn’t want revengeThey said no, but there is nothing to think about what follows”, he recalled.
The future of Leo Santa Cruz
After the Mexican boxer faces Keenan Carbajal, his steps are more than defined and among them it is expected an explosive fight at 130 pounds. “If everything goes well in that fight we want to go down to 116 or if an opportunity arises at 130 pounds, then it will be against any champion. There is Óscar Valdez or Shakur Stevenson. I’m ready for whatever it is, “said the Mexican.
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Source-laopinion.com