Pereira's coach Plinio Cruz knocks out Gary Olive on Misfits Boxing debut in London

Plinio Cruz, the coach behind UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, made an immediate impression on his Misfits Boxing debut, knocking out Gary Olive in the second round at a London event on Saturday afternoon. Cruz landed a series of left hooks to finish the fight in just 58 seconds of the round.

Olive was a late replacement for Misfits Boxing heavyweight champion Chase DeMoor, who pulled out of the scheduled bout with an injury. DeMoor’s own coach stepped up to fill the vacancy, giving the card a last-minute reshuffle.

“The gang got me ready. I trained hard and I lost 100 pounds for this fight,” Cruz said after the victory, crediting his preparation for the performance.

Cruz did not hold back when addressing DeMoor’s absence, directing pointed criticism at the champion for failing to appear even in Olive’s corner during the fight. “Pinocchio, because he lies and his nose grows. First of all, props to Gary — he boxes better than Chase,” Cruz said. “[Chase] didn’t have the balls to be in his coach’s corner. What kind of champ is that, he can’t even back up his family?”

Cruz made clear he intends to pursue a matchup with DeMoor, calling out the heavyweight champion in blunt terms and suggesting the rivalry is far from over. The knockout marks a notable crossover moment for a figure best known as a cornerstone of Pereira’s rise through the UFC ranks, demonstrating that the left-hand power so associated with his most famous pupil runs deep in their camp.