Alex Pereira’s trainer Plinio Cruz is not returning to the fight game for just a one-and-done outing.
Former MMA fighter Cruz has become famous as the man behind Pereira’s iconic career as a two-weight UFC champion since hanging up his gloves. Next week, he is back in action in a Misfits Boxing fight with Chase DeMoor in London.
After winning the WBC US Silver title, Chase DeMoor is beginning to legitimately rise through the ranks at heavyweight
Do you think Chase DeMoor would have any chance with a serious heavyweight champion?
Cruz last competed in 2019, but has entered into an intensive training camp that was elongated by three weeks when DeMoor suffered a minor injury in training. Now, he is lighter than he has been in almost a decade and has designs on not just winning the belt but defending it multiple times.
Plinio Cruz plans Misfits Boxing run that starts with Chase DeMoor
Back when Plinio Cruz last fought, Chase DeMoor had yet to so much as appear on reality TV much less begin his boxing career. The American has gone from a meme fighter to now holding a legitimate regional belt with the WBC, all by way of becoming known as the man who defeated Andrew Tate.
Cruz is refusing to fall into the trap that many opponents have before of watching early DeMoor fights and presuming that he will be an easy night’s work. Speaking exclusively with Bloody Elbow ahead of the October 10 DAZN fight night, he explained that he has been diligent in his preparation.
“Chase can fight,” Cruz insisted. “Whether he is the most skilled fighter or he isn’t, I train for any fight if I’m fighting Chase or Mike Tyson the same way and honestly sometimes fighting guys who aren’t very skilled they can be harder because they’re a little funky and tend to do things a high-level fighter will not.
“But this is not about Chase, this is about me getting in shape to win and being able to do some fun fights in Misfits. I’ve been putting in the work and training hard. I respect him as an opponent like I would respect anybody else and I am putting in hard work like I would anyone.
“I was ready to fight before when the date was the 26th of September but a couple of extra weeks to prepare doesn’t hurt. I’m going to London this weekend because I know it’s five hours different from New York and I know we don’t take chances at this level.”
Cruz revealed that he has signed a multiple-fight deal with the promotion, and that his first step is DeMoor so he can become champion. He then wants to defend it multiple times, all while maintaining his role in Alex Pereira’s training camp.
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