Lamont Roach reacted incredulously to Isaac Cruz’s claim that referee James Green gave him preferential treatment Saturday night.

Cruz criticized Green because the point he deducted him in the seventh round emerged as the difference between “Pitbull” settling for a majority draw and winning a unanimous decision. Green penalized Cruz (28-3-2, 18 KOs) for hitting Roach (25-1-3, 10 KOs) on his lower back.

Roach recalled numerous instances when Green failed to admonish Mexico’s Cruz for rule-breaking tactics.

“I don’t know why they think the ref was on my side, when I got hit low a lot,” he said during their post-fight press conference. “It’s boxing. It happens. But I got hit low a lot and he was holding [in] every exchange. I’m not complaining. It was a hell of a fight, but I really wish it was an even playing field. That’s all.”

Cruz questioned Roach’s recollection of how Green officiated their bout for the WBC interim super lightweight title at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.

“What about the rabbit punches, Lamont?" Cruz said. “They don’t count? You’re complaining about the low blows, basically. But what about the rabbit punches? … What about the head butts?”

Judge Chris Tellez credited Cruz for a 115-111 victory. It was a draw according to judges Cory Santos and Nathan Palmer, both of whom scored their 140-pound fight 113-113.

“The judges can be full of surprises,” Cruz said. “And just like Lamont saw himself as the winner, I saw myself as the winner. But we can’t control what they decide. They’re always unpredictable, full of surprises. But again, that’s out of our hands.”

Cruz saved his harshest words for Green, who was commended for how swiftly he stopped Vergil Ortiz’s vicious second-round knockout of Erickson Lubin on November 8 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

“I did my job,” Cruz told Premier Boxing Champions’ Brian Campbell in the ring. “I did my work. The referee was on his side and obviously you saw the judges, too. I thought I won this fight and the crowd here in San Antonio saw that I won this. … I won this fight and the referee took this fight from me.”

When asked if he wanted an immediate rematch with Roach, Cruz replied, “Absolutely. With a different referee, though. Without the referee being on his side.”