Leo Santa Cruz is revelling in his underdog status ahead of his two-weight title fight with Gervonta Davis at the Alamodome in San Antonio on October 31.
The Mexican-American has been widely written off ahead of his battle with the big-punching Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) for the WBA Super 130lbs and WBA Regular 135lbs titles, but insists he is primed for the upset.
Four-division champion Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19 KOs) is currently a 7/2 underdog but plans to make a mockery of those odds in 10 days’ time.
“Being the underdog is definitely extra motivation. People think I’m the smaller guy, but I asked for this fight for a reason. I’m ready to prove everyone wrong,” said Santa Cruz.
“People thought I didn’t want to fight big names or challenging opponents, so who better to fight than Gervonta Davis? He has great skills and great power. I’m going to show everyone that I’m not scared of anyone. This is the hardest fight of my career, so I’m training harder than ever. This is the best camp I’ve ever had and I feel strong and ready. I’ve never been in this good of shape.
“People are doubting me. So that just makes me want to go out there even more and give a great fight. I want to prove myself, compete and give it my all.
“Gervonta doesn’t have the experience that I have. I have to watch out the first few rounds and be careful, but I’m still a warrior who wants to mix it up. We’re going to do a little of both the brawling and boxing. In the end, I know that I have to do whatever I can to win the fight.
“It’s very special to be in this position. I don’t have the words to express how it makes me feel. I’m very grateful. This is what I’ve dreamed of since I was a child. Now that it’s here, I just can’t believe it and I can’t wait.
“I know he’s going to try to counterpunch me and I have to be smart. But I’m going to use everything in my arsenal to make sure he’s uncomfortable. Gervonta is dangerous until the last round. We’ve been practicing avoiding those big shots. I just have to listen to my corner and stay calm.
“I’ll be making history as a five-division world champion from Mexico if I win. I think the winner of the fight deserves to be on the pound-for-pound top 10 list, that just makes this fight even more important.”
Main image: Esther Lin, Showtime.