‘I Learned A Lot’ – After Tough Setback, Josue Cruz Eager For Redemption At ONE Fight Night 22

Josue “Tuzo” Cruz is ready to show what he’s all about in U.S. primetime on Friday, May 3. 

The Mexican striker suffered a tough loss in his first ONE Championship appearance, but he’s fired up to return against Sean “The One” Climaco in a flyweight Muay Thai showdown at ONE Fight Night 22: Sundell vs. Diachkova on Prime Video.

Following his debut defeat to Walter Goncalves, Cruz realized he needed to evolve in order to succeed on the global stage – and that’s exactly what he’s been doing for the past two years. 

Now, the man with a 17-2 professional record is looking forward to showcasing his improvements at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand:

“As a fighter, I’ve improved greatly since my fight against Goncalves. I’ve dedicated myself to correcting my mistakes. 

“I learned a lot [from that loss]. The competition inside of ONE Championship is on another level, and you have to give it your all from the first second. You can’t go in there looking to play or study your opponent. You have to fight and win. 

“I want to redeem myself from my last performance. Now, I have the opportunity to show who ‘Tuzo’ Cruz is and show what Mexican fighters can do. I’ve been training hard, and I know that everything will go well. We’re prepared and motivated.” 

Along with his usual training camp at Mahmoudi Gym Mexico, Cruz has gone outside of his comfort zone to prepare at the Mahmoudi Gym HQ in Paris, France, alongside some of ONE’s leading stars.  

Leaving no stone unturned in his search for victory, “Tuzo” has thrived in the presence of newly minted ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Champion Alexis “Barboza” Nicolas and one of his division’s top-ranked contenders in Elias “The Sniper” Mahmoudi. 

Excited about the strides he’s made among these elite athletes, the Mexican said: 

“My camp started in Mexico with my dad, and now we’ve come to France to Mahmoudi Gym. We’ve been training with athletes from ONE, such as Elias Mahmoudi and the champion Alexis Nicolas.  

“Given their vast amount of experience, they’ve been passing down their strategies to me. Training with them has helped me a lot when it comes to my mental preparation. They’re mentally strong athletes.” 

Josue Cruz Anticipates A War With Sean Climaco 

Josue Cruz is confident he’s done everything he can to prepare for victory, but he knows it won’t be easy against the debuting Road to ONE: USA Champion, Sean Climaco. 

Climaco won three fights via knockout to earn his six-figure contract with ONE Championship, and “Tuzo” is ready for a hard battle on May 3.  

He said of the Filipino-American:

“He’s a smart fighter. He’s technical and because he’s a southpaw, it helps him throw his opponent’s strategy off. I think I can beat him when it comes to speed. He’s a fighter that’s too stiff. I can utilize my speed and setups to surprise him. 

“We’re both going to war, and the smartest fighter will win. We’re ready to face him. It’s going to be a good fight.” 

It’s never easy to predict how a match will play out against a high-level adversary. 

For his part, Cruz has sharpened his tools and feels ready for all possibilities. Now, all he can do is step into the ring and look to emerge victorious at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. 

More than anything, his hunger to represent himself and his nation will keep pushing him forward, and he feels ready to perform at his best:

“There’s a bunch of different scenarios in my head as to how I see this fight playing out. The only thing I can say is that I’m going to give it my all. I see my hand getting raised at the end of the fight and hearing Dom Lau saying, ‘The winner out of Mexico, Tuzo Cruz.’ 

“It’s not going to be an easy fight, and Mexico is coming to take over.”