Andy Cruz and Juan Carlos Burgos squared off and locked eyes on a stage set up in a hotel ballroom in downtown Detroit, and did what boxers usually do when they stand face to face.
The two lightweights, scheduled to fight on Saturday night, scanned each other for signs of doubt or dehydration, evidence that a fighter might have drained himself to meet the 135-pound weight limit.
Burgos, a 35-year-old fringe contender from Mexico, glared without expression at Cruz, a 27-year-old Cuban who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Cruz, who left Cuba last year, cracked a faint smile and gave Burgos a slight nod.