Featherweight world titlist Leo Santa Cruz came into his defense against late replacement Rafael Rivera on Saturday night as a massive favorite and talking about possible major fights he had his eyes on.
But Santa Cruz also insisted he would not overlook Rivera, and that showed in his dominant performance. He put on a clinic in a one-sided unanimous decision victory in the main event of the Premier Boxing Champions card at the Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles.
All three judges scored the bout 119-109 for Santa Cruz, a three-division titleholder who retained his 126-pound belt for the third time. ESPN scored it a 120-108 shutout for Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz, the bigger man, targeted Rivera’s body and also landed many solid right uppercuts that snapped Rivera’s head back. But Rivera came to fight and gave an impressive effort despite being so outgunned and having such a hard time getting inside on the taller Santa Cruz.
Rivera’s nickname is “Big Bang,” but he never came close to landing that kind of big punch.
Rivera (26-3-2, 17 KOs), 24, of Mexico, happily took the fight on three weeks’ notice when original challenger Miguel Flores suffered an ankle injury and withdrew, but he could not do much except to give an admirable effort. His best moment came in the final seconds of the ninth round when he landed a couple of right hands that got Santa Cruz’s attention.
Rivera also went for broke in the final seconds of the fight, and Santa Cruz obliged as they traded punches until the bell.
The 30-year-old Santa Cruz (36-1-1, 19 KOs), of Los Angeles, whose official purse was $1 million to Rivera’s $20,000, entered in tip-top shape, appeared focused and did what he usually does, which is let his hands go with abandon and outwork his opponent in entertaining fashion. According to CompuBox statistics, Santa Cruz landed 334 of a whopping 1,273 punches (26 percent); Rivera connected with 151 of 805 (19 percent).