WBC Super bantamweight champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (25-0-1, 15 KOs) of Lincoln Heights, California by way of Michoacan, Mexico is ready for Saturday’s fight against Puerto Rico’s Cesar Seda (25-1, 17 KOs) at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas live on Showtime Championship Boxing.
“I feel good. I am in good condition. We are ready for December 14,” Santa Cruz told Fightnews.com when we caught up with him after an intense workout with his trainer and father Jose Santa Cruz at his training headquarters at the Who’s Next Boxing Academy in Industry, California.
His brother Jose Armando Santa Cruz, a former lightweight world champion has also been instrumental in his development as a world champion but the inspiration comes from his brother Roberto Santa Cruz, a former boxer who won his biggest fight as he was diagnosed with Lupus and overcame his illness.
“My training camp is going very well with my brothers and my dad. They motivate me. Ee have been working hard,” Santa Cruz said about training with the family.
“He is a champion without a trainer. I told him I am not a trainer but he said ‘if you don’t train me or are not around the corner I won’t fight,’” his father and trainer Jose Santa Cruz told Fightnews.com. “It has been the best preparation I have seen him in all his fights. I expect to see him aggressive strong and with good technique,” Mr. Santa Cruz added.
Aside from his work in the gym Santa Cruz applies strength and conditioning to his camp as he spends the late afternoon to early evening running the mountains in Hollywood and Rio Hondo Police Academy in Whittier.
“My strength and conditioning is good I have been running a lot in the mountains I feel stronger we train hard with good discipline,”
Santa Cruz has been sparring with local southern California prospects 2012 U.S Olympian Joseph Diaz Jr. (7-0, 5 KOs), Oscar Negrete by way of Columbia (3-0), Roy Tapia (8-0-1, 3 KOs), and Abraham Lopez (17-0, 12KOs) in preparation for Cesar Ceda.
“We have sparred with different styles going twelve rounds with different partners this camp they have really helped me out,” Santa Cruz said on his sparring partners.
With the holidays just around the corner aside from training camp Santa Cruz still takes the time to do his part in giving back to the community. As he took part in a turkey give away two weeks ago prior to Thanksgiving for the Oscar de la Hoya Foundation at the De la Hoya Animo Charter High School, in East Los Angles. Of course it’s tough to train during the holidays with food and parties as Santa Cruz is doing so now but following fight night Santa Cruz can enjoy the rest of the holidays.
“I was happy to be there helping the people. I’m always willing to give to those people that are in need of help,” Santa Cruz said. “It was a good Thanksgiving. I didn’t get to eat as much but I had a little bit of tamales and ham,” Santa Cruz said giggling away.
The 25-year-old has definitely caught the eyes of the boxing world since winning his first world title at bantamweight last year over Vusi Malinga and made three title defenses within four month span against former world champion Eric Morel in September, fellow Mexican’s Victor Zaleta with a stoppage in November, and a decision win the next month over Alberto Guevara before moving up to super bantamweight stopping another former world champion in Alexander Munoz in May. Santa Cruz will be defending his WBC title for the first time as he is coming off an impressive third round knockout over Victor Terrazas last August in winning the title.
“I honestly thought that Terrazas was going to last but for some reason it was an easy fight. I liked the way Terrazas was fighting but I saw him more inferior against my son trading with him. Terrazas came to win,” Leo’s father and trainer Jose Santa Cruz said.
“We trained really hard for that fight because it was for a world title and did not want to let the opportunity get away,” Santa Cruz said. “I was surprised that I finished him early. I thought that if I would stop him it would be late in the fight. I owe a lot of it to my dad and brother that pushed me.”
His opponent has a solid resume on his record having lost 1 of his 26 fights by decision to current super flyweight champion Omar Narvaez in 2011. Ceda won a unanimous decision over Miguel Tamayo last May as Santa Cruz awaits the challenge.
“I know he is lefty which makes it a little more harder. We will be ready for anything. He has good punches and power. He’s a good fighter but we are mentally ready. We will go out there and get the win,” Santa Cruz said about his opponent Cesar Seda.
“I have seen video of him he is a good boxer. I like how he fought against the Argentinian, Narvaez. He will give a good fight,” Mr. Santa Cruz on Ceda.
El Terremoto also known as the Earthquake will be fighting in Texas for the first time in his pro career as he looks to shake things up and give the Texas fans a solid performance in closing 2013.
“I am happy and excited to be fighting in Texas, it shows I have a lot of fans so I will go out and give them a great show,” Santa Cruz said.
Santa Cruz vs. Ceda will be a twelve round championship fight taking part on the Adrien Broner vs. Marcos Maidana undercard on the Showtime Championship Boxing quadruple header. This fight will be another one in the books between Mexico and Puerto Rico in a world title fight as the long rivalry between the countries has carried a rich tradition over the years continues.
“This fight motivates me more to go out and give it my best because Mexico and Puerto Rico is a big rivalry in boxing. I remember Oscar (De La Hoya) and Trinidad they fought when I was like eleven or twelve years old, my father also showed me tapes of when Chavez fought Chapo (Edwin Rosario) and Camacho. Expect a great fight. Puerto Rico vs. Mexico is always a great rivalry in boxing.
I will go out there and leave it all in the ring to please the fans. I will try to go to the body a lot and try to knock him out. We are going to try and do it,” Santa Cruz concluded.
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