Three rounds that taught Isaac Cruz how to fight Francisco Vargas

Isaac Cruz and Francisco Vargas are fighters from Mexico City and know each other a bit, but respect goes out the window on June 19. 

Isaac Cruz is a young emerging boxing talent in the lightweight division. His fight on June 19 hits close to home, as he meets former world champion Francisco Vargas who is also from Cruz’s hometown of Mexico City.

Mexico is a country with a rich boxing history. It’s also weaved into Cruz’s family heritage. Both his father and grandfather were boxers, so it’s natural that Cruz became a fighter as well. But, surprisingly, his family wasn’t the biggest influence in taking up the sweet science.

“So, to be honest with you, I didn’t get into boxing because of my grandpa or dad,” Cruz told FanSided through an interpreter. “In reality, the sport I loved playing the most was soccer. But then you know I got into boxing in the most part to avoid the delinquency values, just the life on the streets that that was the norm in Mexico at the time.”

The boxing ring offered Cruz hope for a better future. According to his PBC bio, Cruz began training as a boxer at seven years old, but one moment solidified Cruz’s dedication to pursuing boxing as a career. The decision of a mean-spirited principal changed the course of Cruz’s life.

“I was 15 at the time,” said Cruz. “I was just going for my morning run at 6 a.m., and then I got to school. I got to school an hour late, and the principal wouldn’t let me in. I was like to hell with school. I’m gonna become a professional boxer, and that’s when I decided, you know, I was gonna dedicate my life to boxing.”

Not long after that life-changing moment, Cruz turned professional in 2015 at the age of 16. Cruz (21-1-1, 15 KOs) is 23 years old today and has come a long way since then. His 23 professional bouts have helped him mature as a boxer and as a person.

“I feel like I have made a radical change ever since I was 16, both physically, emotionally, personally everything,” said Cruz. “I’m not the same person I was back then. If you want like a specific kind of thing that I really noticed that changed ever since I was 16, it’s the lateral movement. The way I move my weight that’s so much improved. It’s just amazing compared to when I first started.”

Isaac Cruz vs. Francisco Vargas has the potential to be the fight of the night on Saturday, June 19

Cruz put his name on the boxing map after his round 1 destruction of Diego Magdaleno in 2020. All roads have led to June 19, when he fights former super featherweight champion Vargas at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX.

Both hail from Mexico City and know each other a bit. When Cruz was training for the Magdaleno fight, he sparred three rounds with Vargas.

“Actually, back when I was going to fight Magdaleno, I had the pleasure of having a sparring session with him. That was really fun, and now we’re going to be rivals.”

Three rounds may not seem like much, but Cruz feels like he learned volumes about Vargas from those nine minutes together in the ring.

“The three rounds that I had against him actually made the point of demarcation of our strategy against Vargas. Everything that we saw during that sparring session, we have applied to what we’re going to do this Saturday night.”

It would be natural for Cruz to have looked up to Vargas as he was coming up through the ranks. Vargas is 13 years older than Cruz and has fought in some legendary bouts, but Cruz is severing that respect when the two enter the ring.

“I did admire him,” said Cruz. “I definitely respect him, but now, I will have to lose that respect for him because, in the ring, there’s no room for respect. Just rivalry.”

Cruz feels like his youth is his biggest asset against the aged veteran.

“It’s going to be a huge factor in this fight,” said Cruz. “That’s what I feel. My youth combined with my hunger are going to be the things that are going to end up pulling me up top.”

Cruz and Vargas are both aggressive boxers who like to come straight at their opponents. They share similar action styles, which should make this a fun fight to watch. It pits the young upstart against the wise veteran. Tune into Showtime at 9. p.m. ET on June 19 for what could be the fight of the night.