‘Never Give Up’ – The Mentality That Fuels Mexican Muay Thai Trailblazer Josue Cruz
Josue “Tuzo” Cruz has never known a life that didn’t involve martial arts.
On September 6 at ONE 168: Denver, the Mexican striker will return for a high-profile flyweight Muay Thai showdown with teenage phenom Johan “Jojo” Ghazali at Ball Arena.
Widely regarded as one of his country’s top talents, Cruz hopes to put on a show for the Colorado crowd and pick up his first ONE win in the process.
Before he goes toe-to-toe with Ghazali, we take a closer look at “Tuzo” and his journey to the world’s largest martial arts organization.
Muay Thai From The Beginning
Given his upbringing, it’s no surprise that Cruz has led a life in Muay Thai. As far back as he can remember, he recalls watching his father teaching “the art of eight limbs” at his family’s gym.
The 28-year-old told onefc.com:
“My dad has been my trainer since I was a kid, and before that, I would watch him teach Muay Thai classes in Mexico at his gym.”
Building a gym and living off Muay Thai was no easy work.
While Cruz never went hungry as a child, he remembers struggling to make ends meet, with his parents working long hours to make the gym successful.
But beyond the occasional financial uncertainty, “Tuzo” says his mother and father were incredibly supportive of both him and his older sister, doing whatever they could to help them find their way:
“During that time, my family didn’t have a great livelihood. My parents got married at a young age, they began working together at the gym, and little by little, they found success with the gym.
“They supported both me and my sister so that we had the basic necessities in our lives. They supported us a lot when it came to sports. They always found a way to help us grow in Muay Thai and kickboxing.
“With time, my dad’s gym grew, and thanks to God, it was a difficult start, but eventually, things got better.”
From Amateur To Pro
Throughout his childhood, Cruz trained and competed in both Muay Thai and kickboxing, quickly establishing himself as one of Mexico’s top prospects.
When it became clear that he had outgrown the amateur ranks, his father pushed him to turn professional and pursue his dreams at the elite level:
“My dad has always supported me. He always told me that I’d be able to become a professional fighter because I had the abilities to dedicate myself to the craft, and that he’d always support me so that I could accomplish my dreams and goals.”
Just as he did as an amateur, the young Mexican dominated the regional Muay Thai and kickboxing scene. Before long, he had amassed a pristine 17-0 record.
Unlike his father, Cruz’s mother was more hesitant about her son living the life of a prizefighter. But after considering his raw passion for the sport and obvious talent, she changed her mind.
Cruz explained:
“For my mom, it was a bit difficult because Muay Thai is a contact sport, and my mom always tried to protect her son.
“Once she saw my preparation and some of my achievements, she began to see the passion I had for Muay Thai. That’s also when she began supporting me more and more every day.”
‘My Greatest Motivation’
More than just his first coach and trainer, Cruz says his biggest inspiration is his father.
According to “Tuzo,” his father sets an ideal example of work ethic and of pursuing big goals in the face of adversity.
The young striker now carries that unending work ethic into everything he does – from how he trains every day to how he pushes through difficult moments in the middle of a fight:
“My greatest motivation has always been my dad. He was always a great example for me. I always watched him work and noticed how he never stopped providing for our family. I think he’s the best example that I could’ve ever gotten as a young kid.
“In me, he instilled a ‘never quit’ mentality. The idea to never give up, to always fight and always accomplishing your goals through sacrifice has helped me the most when fighting and being able to accomplish all the goals I’ve set.
Making History In ONE
In 2022, Cruz became the first-ever Mexican athlete to sign with ONE Championship.
While he’s struggled against top competition so far, “Tuzo” remains a world-class striker with plenty of potential.
However, his wins and losses don’t define him. Cruz says that maintaining a close-knit family and spreading martial arts to others remain his most significant victories:
“Outside the ring, one of my biggest accomplishments has been finding my wife and having my family. Especially creating a strong union between my family and both my parents and sister.
“Also, being able to help people with martial arts. People that may be overweight or may lack self-confidence, and being able to help them overcome these obstacles is one of my best achievements. It’s what makes me happy. Inside the ring, my biggest victory has been representing Mexico in other countries and getting my hand raised.”
What’s more, Cruz is immensely proud to carry the Mexican flag into each and every fight on the global stage.
At ONE 168, he will have another chance to make history as the first Mexican to taste victory in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
“Tuzo” added
“Being in ONE Championship, being the first Mexican to be signed in ONE Championship I think is one of the greatest victories in my life. Now, I want to be the first Mexican to win inside of ONE Championship.”
