Friday Night Dog Fights: Jose Armando Santa Cruz Gets Back in Win Column
By Sergio Martinez (January 7, 2006)  
Photo © HoganPhotos.com
Last night, Telefutura’s ‘Solo Boxeo’ boxing series, which was televised live for the Santa Anna Star Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico, featured the return of lightweight prospect Jose Armando Santa Cruz, 21-1-0 (12), as he took on fellow Mexican warrior Michael Lozada, 19-3-1 (13), for the vacant NABF lightweight title.  This fight was the first for Santa Cruz since his August 2005 loss to Fernado Trejo.
 
The action got underway quickly as Lozada, 133 1/4-pounds, came out with a ton of aggression and took the fight to Jose’s body, ripping him with hard hooks.  Santa Cruz, 133 ½ -pounds, spent the majority of the first round on the ropes as Lozada crowded the taller Santa Cruz and continually worked the midsection. 
 
The second stanza featured much of the same as Lozada continued to press the action and let his hands go at Santa Cruz’s body.  Towards the end of the round, Santa Cruz was able to steady himself and came on with some hard combinations of his own. 
 
In the third round Santa Cruz began to land his own heavy artillery to Lozada’s midsection and it immediately began to take a toll as the 22-year-old started to slow down.  As the bell rang to end the round, Santa Cruz landed a hard combination which severely buzzed his foe, sending him staggering to his corner.  Undeterred, Lozada came out in the fourth and continued to press forward, firing shots to the body until he was caught with a hard right hand that sent him into the ropes.  Santa Cruz followed up with several hard combinations that were punctuated by a stiff right hand that snapped Lozada’s head back, prompting the referee to stop the contest and awarding the 25-year-old Santa Cruz a TKO victory at 1:01 of the round.  It was a good comeback fight for Santa Cruz as he looks to become a player in the lightweight division.
 
The opening televised bout of the night featured a brutal beat down as 140-pound prospect Victor Ortiz, 11-1 (7), completed dominated the limited Leroy Fountain, 9-2 (3), knocking him out at 1:27 of the fourth round of a scheduled eight.  The 18-year-old southpaw seems to be an exciting young fighter with good power in both fists. 
 
Also televised was a female fight between Tonia Craven and Yvonne Chavez which ended in a draw, and a contest between local Albuquerque, New Mexico, favorite Vicente Garcia who knocked out Mexican Fernando Chacon in three rounds.
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