Isaac Cruz is certain that the next countryman he encounters will engage with him more than Jose Valenzuela.

Cruz, who answers to the nickname “Pitbull,” criticized Valenzuela during an interview with The Ring for fighting too cautiously August 3 in Los Angeles. The taller, longer Valenzuela upset Cruz by split decision to win the WBA super lightweight title on the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov undercard at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.

Conversely, Cruz commended Angel Fierro for his fighting style just before a press conference in Mexico City on Tuesday to promote their fight on the David Benavidez-David Morrell undercard February 1 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“The reason I wanted to fight Fierro is because he’s a real fighter, not like Valenzuela,” Cruz told The Ring. “I want the fans to see a good fight, not like the fight with Valenzuela. Mexican fighters are here to fight. Fierro will put up a good show.”

Mexico City’s Cruz, 26, intends to knock out Fierro to regain some of the momentum he had before Valenzuela craftily outpointed him four months ago. Tijuana’s Fierro, also 26, has not been knocked out in 27 professional fights.

“To be honest with you,” Cruz said, “I would like for the people to see a dignified fight, to be toe-to-toe with [Fierro], not to see a marathon like they did in my last fight with Valenzuela. I wanted him to fight for the good of the people. He didn’t come out to fight. He came to run. I’m very disappointed because I came to fight, not to run.”

Valenzuela is ranked 10th among The Ring’s junior welterweight contenders. Cruz (26-3-1, 18 KOs) and Fierro (23-2-2, 18 KOs) are not ranked by The Ring in the 140-pound division.

Valenzuela (14-2, 9 KOs), a southpaw who resides in Renton, Washington, mostly implemented a tactical strategy en route to the most significant victory of his six-year pro career. He won eight rounds apiece against Cruz according to judges Rudy Barragan (116-112) and Pat Russell (116-112), but judge Edward Hernandez Sr. scored seven rounds for Cruz (115-113).

In his bout before his loss to Valenzuela, the hard-hitting Cruz defeated North Las Vegas’ Rolando “Rolly” Romero (16-2, 13 KOs) by eighth-round knockout and won the WBA 140-pound championship from Romero last March 30 at T-Mobile Arena.