The main event of the PBC gala, broadcast live from Texas on Saturday evening on pay per view, was a clash of two junior welterweights. The WBC interim title was at stake when Lamont Roach, fresh off a close victory over Gervonta Davis the previous spring (he had to settle for a draw), faced the exhilarating Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz in a scheduled twelve-round bout. It may not have been a great match, but it was a combination of two fascinating players who had a lot to gain and a lot to lose.
Cruz immediately went for blood. It was clear that Cruz wanted to at least take control of the pace early on. Cruz continued to apply a lot of pressure in the second. Early on, the fight undoubtedly belonged to Cruz. Sure enough, Roach was sent to the mat in the third quarter. The man was able to defeat the count, but he really needed to change the pace of the fight. However, as the fight moved into the middle round, Roach began to assert himself more. It may not have been enough to earn him a few rounds, but he showed he was still fighting.
Things got very fascinating in the seventh set when the referee deducted a point from Cruz for a headbutt. Did Roach have a chance to win? The truth was that in the eighth, Cruz looked like he was going to get gassed. In the final quarter of the fight, it was already clear that Roach had managed to turn the tide of the match – at least for now. Before the championship rounds, it was hard to predict who would have the points advantage. The eleventh was close. In the twelfth game, Cruz gave it his all and Roach hit some impressive shots.
After the final bell, the judges announced a draw.
Earlier in the evening, WBA middleweight king Erislandy Lara proved that age is just a number. Before the bell rang to end the first round, Johan Gonzalez was on the mat. He outdid the count, but 42-year-old Lara once again showed what an excellent fighter she still is. After that, things weren’t as exhilarating anymore and Lara was dominating. It wasn’t an exhilarating fight – until Lara knocked Gonzalez down again seconds before the final bell – but Lara proved to be good enough to win by unanimous decision.
Lightweight fighters O’Shaquie Foster and Stephen Fulton also showed off their skills on Saturday as they battled for a scheduled 12-round fight for the interim WBC title. Both fighters looked pointed from the beginning, which made the fight hard to decide. However, as time passed, Fulton was unable to get to Foster. Thanks in part to a great jab, Foster ultimately managed to escape with the fight, securing a unanimous decision victory. Perhaps if Fulton had not been overweight at the weigh-in, things would have turned out differently.
Joe Joyce will return to action against the undefeated heavyweight on July 11, marking his first fight under SugarHill head coach Steward.
The 40-year-old has not fought since April 2025, when he made a sturdy showing of himself before losing a unanimous decision to Filip Hrgovic. Joyce was scheduled to face fellow veteran Dillian Whyte and then face former world title challenger Hrgovic in a grueling 10-round fight when Whyte withdrew due to injury.
Hoping to get back into the win column, Joyce is now preparing to face Russian Artem Suslenkov in the Murat Gassiev vs Tony Yoka fight at Moscow’s VTB Arena.
After making contact with renowned trainer Steward, who is best known for his work with Tyson Fury, Joyce said he was looking forward to meeting the 30-year-old away.
“I have spent the last year preparing, training and wanting to get back into the ring. I am excited to go to Russia and fight for the WBA continental heavyweight title on July 11.
“Thank you IBA Pro for this opportunity. My team and I are locked in and Moscow should prepare for a great performance.”
Suslenkov boasts a professional record of 14-0 (9 KO), and most notably defeated Michael Hunter by eight-round unanimous decision in an IBA Pro match in 2024.
In the heavyweight division, the 6-foot-1 inch has also previously passed Christian Hammer and has stopped fights against Agron Smakici and Artur Mann each time.
Meanwhile, Joyce clearly wants to stay in the sport even after many called for him to retire following back-to-back losses to Zhilei Zhang in 2023.
Adrien Broner has sparked fresh concern after another live broadcast showed the former four-weight world champion struggling physically while continuing to consume alcohol.
Broner is present every day on the 24/7 broadcasts with influential boxer DeenTheGreat, and alcohol is rarely off limits during broadcasts.
However, many viewers believe that drinking itself is no longer the biggest problem.
Recent broadcasts showed Broner swallowing drinks quickly, taking them from other people nearby and appearing to choke or nearly vomit on several occasions as he continued to drink.
Fresh care
Broner has never hidden his love of nightlife, and many people can drink regularly and still be in complete control.
What concerned some viewers was the increasingly perceptible physical effects of alcohol on the welterweight star in real time.
During recent shows, Broner has repeatedly appeared to be unwell after drinking alcohol, and moments where he appears to be on the verge of illness have become challenging for viewers to watch.
As WBN previously reported, Ryan Garcia publicly urged Broner to stop drinking after watching stream clips while Gervonta Davis was undergoing a health check.
The scenes have heightened concern around the boxer who once built his reputation on training camp discipline and maintaining excellent fitness for much of the year.
DeenTheGreat | Throw
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Other shows featured drunken calls by Floyd Mayweather and increasingly erratic moments.
For a fighter once seen as Mayweather’s successor and one of boxing’s brightest stars, the contrast is making headlines.
What started as a live-streaming venture that Broner thought would make him a millionaire again is now generating a very different reaction.
Broner continues to insist that he is rebuilding his life and finances through streaming.
But as more and more clips spread online, more and more people seem less interested in the entertainment value and more focused on the man at the center of the action.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Since 2010, he has been interviewing world champions, breaking down international titles exclusively and reporting from the ring. His work is distributed on major platforms including Apple News. Read the full biography.
Haney has spent much of the last year being associated with some of boxing’s biggest names, including Ryan Garcia, Brian Norman Jr. and, most recently, Shakur Stevenson, amid reports that Zuffa Boxing is targeting big-name fights on its roster.
When asked about the future and the opportunities that will be available to players as up-to-date platforms enter the sport, Haney pointed to the long-term goals he still has for his son.
“At 27, Devin is still going forceful. He’s still heading towards, you know what I mean, boxer from Mount Rushmore. It’s still growing said Bill to MillCity Boxing.
Haney also shared a favorable opinion of Zuffa’s entry into boxing, suggesting that additional platforms could only benefit fighters looking to advance their careers.
“It’s a platform for the athlete to come through and that’s what it is, he really listens to his coach and his coach really looks at everything. I mean, it’s a great opportunity, man,” Bill said.
While critics continue to debate Devin Haney’s place in the sport’s elite, Bill believes his achievements have already earned him a place among boxing’s greatest fighters.
“Well, that would have to be difficult when you were talking to other Hall of Fame players and they were saying Devin was a Hall of Famer and they were saying you’re wrong. You never hear a Hall of Famer with his game,” Bill said.
“I think once they realize that and sit down, they’d like to have a career like Devin had.”
Haney’s comments come as Devin continues to consider his next move in a loaded welterweight division with several high-profile fights potentially available as boxing’s promotional landscape evolves.
Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fighting landscape. His reports focus on the most vital fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
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