Albert Bell agrees to face Andy Cruz in IBF lightweight eliminator

Albert Bell has agreed to face Andy Cruz in an IBF lightweight title eliminator, moving both fighters one step closer to a shot at champion Raymond Muratalla.

The bout was ordered by the IBF, with Bell and Cruz currently ranked #3 and #4, respectively. The top two positions in the sanctioning body’s rankings are vacant, leaving this fight to determine the next mandatory challenger.

Andy Cruz (6-1, 3 KOs) was pushed quickly toward a title opportunity following his amateur success, which included a gold medal at the 2020 Olympics and a World Championships victory in 2021. He challenged Muratalla for the IBF title in January but lost a majority decision in Las Vegas in his first attempt at a world title.

Albert Bell (28-0, 9 KOs) had been highly ranked at super featherweight before moving up to lightweight last year. The 33-year-old from Toledo secured the IBF international title with a decision win over Keith Hunter, positioning himself for a title eliminator.

The fight is expected to take place on a Matchroom card in either June or July, though a date and venue have not yet been finalized. The winner would become the mandatory challenger for Muratalla, who is permitted to make a voluntary defense before facing his next obligation.

Bell’s size and unbeaten record present a difficult style matchup, while Cruz enters the eliminator coming off a loss in his first title attempt. The matchup places both fighters in a position where a defeat would slow their push toward a second shot at the title.