WBA super lightweight champion Isaac Jonathan Cruz Gonzalez is popularly known as ‘Pitbull’ among his fans. The Mexican boxing sensation swiftly established himself as a fearsome contender in the boxing world with his spectacular knockout victories. Notorious for his fighting approach and devastating strength, he was also dubbed the ‘Mexican Mike Tyson’. But that’s just one of his monikers. 

Many admirers think that the reason Isaac Cruz goes by Pitbull is due to his aggressive demeanor and muscular build resembling the Pitbull dog. But let’s hear it from the champ himself how he got his nickname.  

Isaac Cruz reveals the story behind his nickname ‘Pitbull’

Hailing from Mexico City, Cruz started boxing at the age of 7. He had an outstanding amateur boxing career, with 73 victories from 85 fights, including 50 by knockout. He soon became a popular boxer in his hometown and also won the Mexico City Champion title. It was at that time that he got the moniker ‘Pitbull’. The boxer recalls, “It was a nickname that I got here in Mexico City and it was purely based on my fighting style and the way I portray myself inside the ring.”

His desire to become a world champion was evident in his early years, as apparent by the fact that both his father and grandfather were boxers in their own right. Even though they could not win the world championship title themselves at the time, they assisted the 26-year-old in making their family proud. He became the WBA super lightweight champion earlier this year as he defeated Rolly Romero via knockout. Nevertheless, let’s take a look at his other nicknames and why he is compared to boxing great Mike Tyson. 

Does Isaac Cruz have any other nicknames?

Many fans and boxing pundits believe that there is a similarity between Tyson’s and Cruz’s fighting styles. Both of them are shorter in height. Moreover, they frequently deliver strong, short-range strikes while keeping their hands in front of their faces. In fact, ‘Iron Mike’ revealed during a conversation with ESNEWS that Cruz is the one fighter today that reminds him more of himself. Tyson stated, “He’s short and stubby for his weight like I was, and he comes at you. Cruz reminds me the most of who I was. He comes at you with bad intentions.”

Furthermore, even his Mexican fanbase calls him the ‘Mexican Mike Tyson’. Talking about his different monikers, Cruz stated, “I’ve had plenty of nicknames during my life in Mexico, nicknames are very common but my three favorites that I’ve had so far are the Mexican Mike Tyson, The Bomber, and The Cannonball.”

Meanwhile, the 26-2-1 boxer is now slated to defend his WBA title for the first time against Jose Valenzuela on August 3rd, at the BMO Stadium in LA. With just a few days left, he is preparing himself to add one more knockout to his name. By the way, which nickname did you like better? Tell us which one is your favorite in the comments section below.