LAS VEGAS – Mexico’s Angel Fierro fell ill cutting weight Friday and is out of his scheduled 140lbs Saturday bout against countryman and former champion Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed. Cruz will now meet scheduled undercard fighter Omar Salcido, 20-2 (14 KOs), who last fought in January while losing a unanimous decision to IBF top-ranked lightweight contender Andy Cruz and was due to fight Brian Gallegos here Saturday. Consequently, he had already made 140lbs at this morning's weigh-in.
“It’s a big opportunity. We’re ready. We’re excited,” Salcido trainer Jose Benavidez Snr told BoxingScene.
The Ring Magazine first reported Fierro, the WBC’s No. 7-ranked junior-welterweight, “encountered health issues during his weight cut” before Friday’s morning assignment and was bound for a hospital.
ESPN’s Salvador “Chava” Rodriguez first reported the possibility of Salcido as the replacement opponent.
Fierro, 23-3-2 (18 KOs), engaged in a fight-of-the-year candidate with Cruz, 27-3-1 (18 KOs), in February, rocking Cruz before dropping a unanimous decision at T-Mobile Arena.
The bout was so entertaining that Premier Boxing Champions scheduled the rematch on the Saturday pay-per-view card at MGM Grand Garden Arena headlined by Manny Pacquiao’s attempt to capture the WBC welterweight belt versus champion Mario Barrios, with the WBC junior-middleweight title rematch between champion Sebastian Fundora and former WBO champion Tim Tszyu positioned in the co-main spot.
Fierro and Cruz got after it at Thursday’s undercard news conference, pressing their foreheads to each other during their face-off.
Fierro vowed minutes earlier to address his unfinished business.
“The judges made their decision. I decided to move forward and clear everything up on Saturday night. I’m gonna leave no doubt and get my hand raised. It’s either ‘Pitbull’ or me, only one of us can remain standing. I have to make sure that I’m standing on top,” Fierro said Thursday.
“We’re two runaway trains without breaks. We’re gonna go out there and brawl. I’m ready to show what a true Mexican war is all about. I have a better strategy this time around. If he thinks I’m gonna run, I say hell no. I’m here to clash and go toe-to-toe.”
That task will now fall to Salcido, who previously posted a ninth-round TKO of Chris Colbert on ProBox TV in October.
