Andy Cruz Gets Fast Route Back to IBF Title Shot

The lightweight eliminator will move the winner toward a mandatory title shot against IBF champion Raymond Muratalla

Matchroom Boxing won the purse bid Wednesday for the IBF lightweight eliminator between Andy Cruz and Albert Bell with an offer of $298,000. The fight is expected to take place in July and will push the winner toward a mandatory title shot against IBF champion Raymond Muratalla.

Bell, ranked #3 by the IBF, is expected to receive the larger split at 60 percent, while the #4-ranked Cruz takes 40 percent of the purse.

Cruz fought Muratalla earlier this year and lost a majority decision but quickly returned to the title picture after Lucas Bahdi declined an eliminator opportunity against the Cuban contender.

Bell (28-0, 9 KOs) has stayed unbeaten during his long run at lightweight while waiting for a major fight opportunity.

The Road Back for Cruz

Cruz is looking for a quick route back to a title opportunity after suffering his first professional defeat in January. In that fight, he gave Muratalla one of the toughest nights of his career, pushing the unbeaten champion in a close majority decision loss. Cruz’s amateur background, technical ability, and movement caused Muratalla repeated problems, especially in the early rounds. A second fight could become far more difficult for Muratalla if Cruz makes the right adjustments over twelve rounds.

While Shakur Stevenson previously mentioned Muratalla as a possible opponent after moving to 140 pounds, discussion about that matchup has cooled in recent months. A Stevenson fight would still represent a much bigger payday for Muratalla than another defense against Cruz, but the winner of Cruz-Bell will move into mandatory position for the IBF title.

Bell enters the eliminator with an unbeaten record but little experience against top-level opposition. The Toledo native has been a professional since 2013 and spent most of his career fighting lower-tier opponents without receiving major exposure.

Standing 6-foot tall, Bell has unusual size for the lightweight division and understands how to use his reach. Even so, stepping into the ring against a skilled fighter like Cruz represents a dramatic jump in competition. Bell will need a career-best performance to slow Cruz’s return toward another title shot.

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