by
- Who: Rolando Romero vs. Isaac Cruz
- What: Romero’s WBA junior welterweight title
- Date: Saturday, March 30, 2024
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
- Location: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV
- How to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
WBA junior welterweight champion Rolando Romero puts his title on the line against Isaac Cruz on Saturday, March 30 on the inaugural PBC Pay-Per-View on Prime Video card from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Romero won the vacant WBA junior welterweight title in May 2023 with a TKO victory over Ismael Barroso. Cruz, is coming off a split-decision win over Giovanni Cabrera in July 2023.
Rolando Romero (15-1 with 13 knockouts) began his boxing career with a perfect 14-0 record. He suffered his first and only loss in May 2022, when Gervonta Davis knocked him out in the sixth round of their battle for Davis’ WBA lightweight title. He moved to 140 pounds for his next outing and captured the vacant WBA junior welterweight crown.
Isaac Cruz (25-2-1 with 17 knockouts) lost his sixth pro contest in 2016. He then went on an unbeaten run until Davis defeated him via unanimous decision in a fight for Davis’ belt. Cruz bounced back from that loss with three straight wins. He is the No. 4 fighter in The Ring lightweight rankings and the No. 2 fighter in the WBA junior welterweight rankings.
Before looking at the betting odds and picks for Rolando Romero vs. Isaac Cruz, check out the best boxing betting sites and where you can find the best boxing picks.
Rolando Romero vs. Isaac Cruz betting picks
| To Win WBA Junior Welterweight Title |  |  |  |  |  |
| Rolando Romero | +220 | +205 | +220 | +220 | +200 |
| Isaac Cruz | -280 | -275 | -280 | -280 | -300 |
Rolando Romero betting breakdown
WBA junior welterweight champion Rolando Romero puts his title on the line on Saturday, and he enters the contest as a betting underdog to Isaac Cruz. Romero has an awkward style that is hard to get a bead on. He approaches his opponents from different angles and throws his punches with an unconventional style. Some pundits say that Romero doesn’t have the technical boxing skills of other fighters, and that might be true, but Romero’s style and approach work for him, and that is all he needs to have success.
What stands out about Romero is his power. Over his 16-fight career, he’s picked up 13 wins via knockout. His past three wins have all ended inside the distance. He sits down on his power punches, hoping to score a knockout whenever he throws those blows. His primary focus is head shots. The downside of that style is that Romero can leave himself off balance and open for counters when he overcommits. Further, a skilled boxer who doesn’t fight Romero’s type of fight can expose the faults in his overall boxing game.
Isaac Cruz betting breakdown
Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz has seen his stock rise since his 2021 decision loss to Gervonta Davis. He dropped that fight 116-112, 115-113, 115-113 on the scorecards and has gone 3-0 with two knockouts since dropping the bout to “Tank’ Davis. Cruz is a pressure fighter and is incredibly active. When he faced Davis, he threw 425 power punches and 553 total punches, which dwarfed Davis’ output of 462 total punches and 285 power shots. When he gets in close, he unloads flurries to the body while still throwing hooks and uppercuts to the head. Like Romero, Cruz is aggressive and can overextend himself when looking to land his big power shots, leaving him open to counters.
If Cruz can get inside, he is relentless and accurate, which Romero needs to be aware of.
This is Cruz’s first fight at 140, so that’s also something to consider.
Best bets for Rolando Romero vs. Isaac Cruz
This should be a great fight for boxing fans to check out. Expect an all-action matchup between two fighters who will be hunting for knockouts. It might not be the most technically sound matchup, but it should be entertaining. The betting odds on Romero present some decent betting value if one thinks he can deal with the pressure and output of Cruz. However, he’s not the pick in this matchup. Cruz’s aggression, pressure, and production make him the betting favorite for a reason. The betting pick is for Isaac Cruz to beat Rolando Romero by knockout in the fight’s second half.
See below the best sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
