In a lightweight match that ended at noon today, the current WBA featherweight super boxer/four-class world champion Santa Cruz (38-2-1, 19KO) won the first game of 2022 by beating American Keenan Kabajar (23-3-1, 15KO) in 10 rounds.
The race was played at the Mitchello Roble Arena in Las Vegas, which was also the vice-main event before today's Keith Thurman (29-1, 22KO) home race. Santa Cruz's last match was in October 2020 by Gwota Davis (26-0, 24KO) for 6 rounds of KO and has not played for 15 months. This time, he plans to make the transition to 130 pounds before dropping back to 126 pounds to defend his WBA super boxing title. Not long after the opening, Santa Cruz's right eye was knocked open, and Cruz hoped to make a quick decision, but Kabahar was tenacious and more resistant. Santa Cruz played very aggressively throughout the game, with more effective hits and clarity, dominating the course of the game, but unable to knock Kabajar down. In the end, the two fought for 10 rounds, and the three referees won 100-90 against Santa Cruz.
After defeating the opponent, Santa Cruz's professional record rose to 38 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw, 19 games KO opponents. With a height of 1.71 meters and an arm span of 1.75 meters, Santa Cruz was upgraded from the lightest weight, and fighting at 126 pounds was his best option, and it was not enough to upgrade his strength.