Pacquiao proud of Mexican world champ Isaac Cruz 

MANILA, Philippines: BOXING icon Manny Pacquiao is proud Mexican Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz’s latest achievement — the first-ever non-Filipino world boxing champion under MP Promotions.

Pacquiao was happy to see the progress of the 25-year-old Cruz who signed with Pacquiao’s MP Promotions in 2019.

Cruz won the World Boxing Association (WBA) Super lightweight belt last Sunday.

From left: Isaac Cruz Sr, Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz, Jimwell Pacquiao and Sean Gibbons CONTRIBUTED PHOTO 

“So glad to see Mexican Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz rose to the occasion to become a world titleholder under our promotion,” the 45-year-old eight-division world champion said in a statement expressing his appreciation to the sacrifices and hard work of the Mexican fighter.

“He [Cruz] is a testament of a true hardworking warrior, his boxing skills, power and speed are honed by years of his sacrifice in training and learning. The MP Promotions is very proud of his accomplishment,” Pacquiao added.

Cruz, who is sporting a 26-2-1 win-loss-draw record with 18 knockouts, dethroned American Rolando Romero behind his flurry of powerful punches en route to his eight-round technical knockout victory last Sunday that seized the WBA crown at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

MP Promotion President Sean Gibbons, also a well-known international matchmaker, said Pacquiao and Cruz have a lot of things in common not only both of them as a good professional boxer but also for being both a family man.

“When they met, Sir Manny said this gentleman is so humble, he is family man, and he loves spending his time with his kids and wife. He doesn’t smoke, he doesn’t drink, he doesn’t do any bad habits similar to the senators, and both of them are great persons,” said Gibbons, referring to Cruz.

Gibbons added that Cruz is the first fighter that they signed outside the Philippines in 2019 and the first boxer from Mexico until now which they able to successfully develop from becoming a world champion.

“Manny Pacquiao is very thrilled to promoting the newest face of Mexican boxing, Isaac Pitbull Cruz. When I showed him Isaac Cruz, he was thrilled, and he said this is the real guy. This guy has the hit, has the style, and he got everything,” he added.

Gibbons said the MP Promotions has also acknowledged the strong historic Hispanic ties between the Philippines and the Mexico especially when it comes to boxing that’s why Pacquiao appreciates the talents and courage of every fighter from both countries.

“Mexico and Philippines have a great history together in boxing. Manny Pacquiao had so much great history with his fights with Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez,” Gibbons explained.