American middleweight Curtis “Cerebral Assassin” Stevens, 30-6 (22), from Brownsville, NY, traveled to the Dominican Republic on July 21st to fight for the vacant IBA World Middleweight title against the Dominican’s Carlos Jairo Cruz, 18-3 (12), at Gimnasio Multiuso Nani Marrero, Santiago de los Caballeros, in the Dominican Republic.
At the end of the fourth round Cruz’s corner informed the referee that their fighter could not continue. That’s when all hell broke loose! I’ve seen it happen in north New Jersey when a Latino was getting beat the fans went wild throwing chairs with little security to stop them.
Cruz has lost for the third time and each time a riot occurs. His brother is the promoter. Cruz has fought a bunch of tomato cans and they helped him build up his record.
This kind of behavior by these unruly fans with fifteen people injured should be a warning for no outside boxers especially from the US to take a fight down there especially against Cruz.
Boxing does not need to have another black eye against the sport that is world-wide. Dominican Republic and Ghana are full of “record builders” and the UK has more than their share too.
Getting boxers twenty made to order stiffs who get well paid has started many a career for fighters who usually fall when they meet a real competitive opponent. Thailand has many boxers with outstanding records. One for instance is 68-1-1 and has within the last year or two fought opponents making their debut. Wasn’t it in the US when a 49-0 boxer defeated a 0-0 MMA fighter?