Ex-IBF champ Cruz aims to regain edge against Fortuna at Hard Rock

Cruz (39-13-3, 23 knockouts) hasn’t won since July 11, 2009, when he outpointed Jorge Solis to successfully defend his IBF featherweight title. Since then, he has gone winless in four fights, the worst outing being his May 15, 2010, loss to Orlando Salido, who knocked him down twice in the second round and dominated him over the 12-round fight to take his title.

“I believe I can become champion again,” Cruz said through an interpreter Thursday, prior to the weigh-in for tonight’s fight. “But I have to win this fight.”

Cruz admitted the climb back to the top has been steeper than he anticipated.

“It’s a big difference,” he said of no longer being a world champion. “The money. The fame. The fans. Mostly the money. When you are champion, you have all those things. When you’re not champion, you do not have as much. I miss having that belt around my waist.”

Fortuna (19-0, 14 KOs) has a chance to end Cruz’s dream by winning tonight’s super featherweight main event, which is scheduled for 10 rounds and will be televised on ESPN2 as part of its “Friday Night Fights” series. The 22-year-old southpaw from the Dominican Republic said he also needs a win.

“I’m not worried about taking him out of boxing,” Fortuna said through an interpreter. “I want to show the fans what I am capable of doing. I’ve analyzed his errors, and whenever he’s open I’m going to hit him. If I win this fight, it will open the door for me to get an opportunity to fight for a world title.”

Fortuna said he’s not worried about the considerable amount of experience he’s ceding to Cruz.

“Not at all,” he said. “I have a lot of fights in me, too. It’s too late for Cruz. It’s my time now.”

First bell for the card, which is being co-promoted by Sampson Boxing and Greg Cohen Promotions, is at 5:30 p.m.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.