West Point, NY– Mexico’s Erika Cruz pulled off a major upset with her total domination of WBA Featherweight World Champion Jelena Mrdjenovich. The fight was the main event of Thursday night’s Ring City USA card on NBC Sports Network; held live at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. In the end, Cruz came out vicrorious due to a bad cut over Mrdjenovich’s right eye.
Canada’s Mrdjenovich came out on the attack, but Cruz was ready. Cruz landed a couple of good hooks to the head in the first round. The Canadian attempted to go back to her jab later in the round. Round two saw a lot of head clashes and accidental headbutts. Mrdjenovich (41-11-2, 19 KOs) did throw some combinations to the body. Both fighters were going to the body repeatedly, but Cruz seemed to be getting the better of the exchanges. In the third round, Cruz came out swinging and turned up the intensity. The former three-division champion, Mrdjenovich, ended up getting a cut on her right eye. Originally the cut was thought to be from an accidental headbutt. Video replay showed it was due to a punch.
Cruz (13-1-0, 3 KOs) was winning the round and the fight through more effective punching. Mrdjenovich’s trainer, Johnathan Banks, implored her to stick to using her jab and boxing on the outside and stop slugging. Banks’ charge took heed to his instructions and came out jabbing and counterpunching. But by then, Cruz was in a rhythm and was steadily landing combos and left hooks to Mrdjenovich’s head.
Fight Action
The fifth round saw more of the same. Cruz was winning the round by going to the body and then throwing an overhand right. She was able to keep the pressure on by throwing a lot of combos. In the sixth round, Cruz was still landing accurate combinations. Referee Benjy Esteves stopped the round momentarily to have doctors observe Mrdjenovich’s eye, who cleared her as being okay to continue. However, the end was near. Esteves stopped the fight at 25 seconds of the seventh round. Thus, leaving the decision up to the judges’ scores, much to the dismay of Mrdjenovich.
Decision Made
All three judges saw things the same way; Cruz was victorious with three scores of 70-63. She was given a technical decision victory and the new WBA featherweight champion.
The 38-old Cruz did not miss the enormity of this moment. Fighting for the first time without her father and lead trainer Guillermo Cruz in her corner, she dedicated the victory to him. “Every single round that went by, I thought of my father,” she said. “And this victory is for both of us. I couldn’t come this far and disappoint him. I didn’t and now I will bring this title back to him.” As far as what took place in the ring, Cruz was prepared, “At first I was nervous but as I saw that my punches were more powerful, I realized that this was my strongest weapon.”
The 38-year-old Mrdjenovich, disappointed the fight ended early as she felt normally, she performs better late; “I am super disappointed that the fight was stopped. I got away from my game plan and it’s disappointing to lose my world title.”, she said. The former champion further elaborated, “I fight well in the later rounds and I am disappointed I didn’t get to show that. I have been known to drop my opponents in the later rounds. I felt I was starting to find my groove and I am just disappointed.”. She did express that she is going “back to the drawing board” and wants a rematch to avenge her loss.
