By Jack Tiernan: Former world lightweight title challenger Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz and former WBA featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa discussed their upcoming showdown April 16 on Showtime PPV at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Cruz (22-2-1, 15 KOs) and Gamboa (30-4, 18 KOs) are the main undercard backers for the Errol Spence Jr. vs. Yordenis Ugas fight.

Isaac Cruz: “There was never a real offer, there was never a real negotiation,” Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz said when asked why he didn’t fight Ryan Garcia. “What Oscar De La Hoya, what he did, was he tried to negotiate through social media, which I personally found unprofessional.

“When [promoter] Sean Gibbons responded via Twitter, and then nothing came of it anyway. That’s when we went to Gamboa because the [Ryan] The Garcia fight never came close to becoming a reality.

“I wish I had more pressure,” Isaac Cruz said of what he thought he should have different in his last fight against Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis on Dec. 5.

“I think if I had knocked him down one more time on December 5, we would have had a different story. It would have been me with my arm up. Everything that happened in that fight made me better, and even now my profile has been raised.

“I’m focused on preparing for my next fight and proving for my fans to give them the fight they want and the show they need, and I know what I can give them.

“What I have to say is my shots are going to do the talking inside the ring. I’m ready for whatever he brings,” Pitbull Cruz said of Gamboa.

Youriorkis Gamboa: “I’m a pro. I’m not here to send messages and make statements,” said Yuriorkis Gamboa. “What I’m focusing on is trying to become No. best possible in the ring in order to beat my opponent. The rest is just chatter.

“It’s all about preparation,” Gamboa said. “We are preparing to change the narrative, to change the outcome of the fight. With this kind of preparation, we can achieve victory on April 16.

“The way we’re prepared for this fight and what’s at stake, that alone says I’m still one of the best fighters in this division,” Gamboa said.

Pitbull Cruz: “It’s really not for me to say that one punch can change everything or not,” said Pitbull Cruz. “What I’m focused on is being as prepared as possible and being as ready as possible on April 16. We’ll see what happens inside the ring that day,” Cruz said. .

“I have a tactical plan, I have a strategy ready to go no matter what. I am ready for anything in my path and I plan to face anything and everything,” Gamboa said.

Sean Gibbons: “Everyone saw Isaac Cruz’s release party against Gervonta Davis,” Pitbull promoter Sean Gibbons said.

“Everyone thought Isaac Cruz was going to be an easy target for Gervonta Davis, he was going to take him out, he wasn’t a contender. He literally almost kicked Gervonta Davis out of the ring, so we’re very excited.

“His Instagram account went from 27,000 to 185,000,” Gibbons said of Isaac Cruz. “So going into this fight there is a lot more expectation, people are excited to see it.

“The reason Yuriorkis Gamboa was selected is because he’s a great fighter, he’s a former world champion, he’s an Olympian, he’s a name fighter. He gave Gervonta a good fight , he gave Devin a good fight, so it’s a great gauge to see what Isaac Cruz is doing with him going forward.

“I always hear people say that Gamboa brings his A-game and the fighters bring their best fights against him. So we have a lot of respect for him, but I just think it’s Isaac Cruz time and it’s going to be a great night in Dallas on April 16,” Gibbons said.

Gamboa: “I have the advantage of my experience, but I will rely on my preparation and my strategy to fight and win in any way possible.”

Pitbull Cruz: “Every fight is different, and I’m going to be ready for whatever Yuriorkis has to offer. I prepare very well and I’m going to show you all the new things I can bring to the ring in this fight.

“We work on absolutely everything. We’ve studied Gamboa in depth, and we’re working through everything good and bad for and against it. I’m not going to reveal anything specific, but what I can say is that we will be ready on April 16.

Gamboa: “I’m going to show everyone watching on TV and ringside that Yuriorkis Gamboa is here to stay, and that Yuriorkis Gamboa can still be the best in the division. That will be my ultimate goal on Saturday, April 16. You will see it.

Pitbull Cruz: “I learned a valuable lesson because I learned that I have to be focused inside the fight [against Gervonta Davis] every moment. I can’t lose my focus anytime soon and I want to show people that I’m the Mexican fighter who can lead the 135-pound division. I can promise you that.