Robert Easter Jr. vs. Luis Cruz: Sometimes boxing can be a confusing and frustrating sport. An example of that confusion will be found on Friday night when the PBC returns to Bounce TV. The main event of that PBC card will be a 12-round, lightweight title fight between Robert Easter Jr. (18-0, 14 KO) and Luis Cruz (22-4-1, 16 KO). On the line will be Easter's IBF title and the confusion comes from how Cruz got this title shot. In his last 10 fights Cruz has gone 5-4-1, been knocked out once, and lost to a fighter with a 7-13-3 record. After being knocked out by veteran Edner Cherry, who doesn't have much power, Cruz went on to beat a 13-15-3 fighter in a six round fight and then fought to a draw with now low level prospect Ivan Redkach. How that earns him a title shot someone will need to explain because it doesn't make much sense. Easter is a tall 5-feet 11-inches for the lightweight division and he fights out of the orthodox stance. Against Cruz, Easter will have the height and reach advantage and he also is the heavier hitter. Easter has shown very fast hands coming from a lanky frame and his jab is an excellent weapon. In fact on offense Easter has plenty of weapons to back that jab up. He also has a mean left hook and a skilled right hand that he likes to throw uppercuts with. While Easter still has some room to grow, against Cruz he probably won't have much difficulty. Cruz is an orthodox fighter who counts a decent jab and straight right hand among his most used weapons. Cruz doesn't usually let his left hook go very often unless he is feeling confident and he also isn't a very accurate puncher. While Easter was dropped in his last fight that probably won't happen on Friday as long as Easter uses his height, reach, and hand speed to his advantage. Easter will control this fight from the start and in the middle rounds he will go for the knockout. However, when that knockout doesn't come Easter will go back to boxing and will win this fight by the way of unanimous decision.
Rau'Shee Warren vs. Zhanat Zhakiyanov: The other title fight on PBC's Bounce TV card will feature Rau'Shee Warren (14-1, 4 KO) taking on Zhanat Zhakiyanov (26-1, 18 KO). The two fighters are scheduled to go 12 rounds from the bantamweight division with Warren's WBA title on the line. Warren is coming off back-to-back tough fights against Juan Carlos Payano and despite his lack of power he is a highly skilled offensive fighter. As for Zhakiyanov, his resume reads like the passport of a world traveler. Zhakiyanov hails from Kazakhstan and has fought there, Russia, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Switzerland, the U.K., China, Belarus, and even Australia. Despite fighting in other countries as well the one place Zhakiyanov has never fought is the United States so his fight against Warren will be his first trip stateside. Warren is a southpaw with a very good up and down jab and top tier hand speed. He also has a very accurate left hook that he likes to dig to the body and his left hand also puts in some good work. The only real knock that can be leveled against Warren is that he has almost absolutely no power in either hand. Meanwhile, Zhakiyanov has very good power for a fighter in the bantamweight division but he has never faced anyone with Warren's skill level. Zhakiyanov fights out of the orthodox stance and he has a very strong left hook. He also has a solid right hand and his head movement on the inside is a nice tool to have. However, Zhakiyanov loves to plow straight ahead and sit in the pocket which means he is easy to figure out. As long as Warren doesn't get caught with a punch he doesn't see coming he will be able to box his way to a unanimous decision win.
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