Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz is ready to defend his interim WBC super lightweight title this Saturday at San Diego’s Pechanga Arena, but he’s already got his sights set on a much bigger prize: Dalton Smith’s world championship belt. Cruz, 28, is stepping into the ring against Nestor Bravo, a fight that promises fireworks on DAZN, but the “Pitbull” has been openly talking about taking his show across the pond.
‘Pitbull’s’ Global Ambitions and a Towering Challenge
Cruz, who holds a record of 28-3-2 with 18 knockouts, is not shy about his next goal. He wants to challenge Dalton Smith, the current WBC full champion, in England. “Why not fight Dalton Smith in England?” Cruz asked Uncrowned days before his clash with Bravo. Smith, 19-0 with 14 KOs, won his belt with a fifth-round technical knockout of Subriel Matias back on January 10 and is set to defend that title against Alberto Puello on October 4 in Sheffield. Cruz has made it clear he “foresees no problem” defeating Bravo to set up a clash with the Smith-Puello winner. He even spoke about the thrill of it all: “It would be awesome to be able to go fight in England with the great crowds there and do the unthinkable. Go over there, pull off that feat to win the belt, and bring it back home.”
That’s a huge vision, but first, he has to get past a serious challenge in Nestor Bravo. Cruz recently moved up from lightweight, and he’s going to face a significant size disadvantage this weekend. Bravo, standing at 5-foot-9, is a full 5 inches taller than Cruz and has spent his entire 24-1, 17 KOs career competing at super lightweight. Bravo is also riding high on momentum, coming off a second-round knockout win over Pedro Campa in January with a nasty left hook that definitely put him on the industry’s radar. Despite being a “considerable underdog,” Bravo isn’t planning to back down. “He likes to fight just like I do,” Bravo said, promising an aggressive contest.
Finding New Power With Reynoso
Cruz’s path to this interim title defense hasn’t been smooth sailing. After a split decision loss in 2024, he roared back with a “Fight of the Year contender” win in 2025, beat Omar Salcido, but then shared a majority draw with Lamont Roach later that year. Looking for a change, Cruz sought out Eddy Reynoso, the legendary trainer behind Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s superstardom. Cruz started working with Reynoso, noting his “experience and the tremendous job he’s done with ‘Canelo.’” He also praised Reynoso’s “ability to understand fighters, both mentally and technically, and to read each situation,” as key to reaching the sport’s summit. This new partnership with Reynoso, who has also coached Oscar Valdez, Ryan Garcia, and Andy Ruiz, could be exactly what Cruz needs to overcome the physical challenges Bravo presents and then launch his charge for the world title.
So, this Saturday, all eyes are on San Diego. Can Cruz overcome the significant size disadvantage and the surging momentum of Nestor Bravo to keep his dream of an English title fight alive? It’s not just an interim belt on the line; it’s the next step in “Pitbull’s” global conquest.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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