Former amateur standout Andy Cruz, who is, in the opinion of some good judges, the next great Cuban star, will take the biggest fight of his pro career next month. As per multiple sources, Cruz will face Japan’s Hironori Mishiro on June 14th at Madison Square Garden, the fight to take place on the under card of the Richardson Hitchins-George Kambosos Junior IBF 140 pound title fight.
Cruz – who won so much at amateur level, including Olympic gold and two golds at the Pan American Games – is currently 5-0(2) as a pro, this after making his pro debut in July of 2023. Mishiro, at age 30 a year older than Cruz, is currently 17-1-1(6) and he has never been stopped, the sole loss coming against countryman Min Ho Jung in a technical decision defeat back in April of 2023.
Cruz building momentum—can Mishiro break the rise?
Cruz, who holds no less than four amateur wins over current WBO lightweight champion Keyshawn Davis, with Cruz very much wanting to revisit their rivalry at paid level, has had boxing people excited for some time, his skills and ability convincing these folks that he is not only a future champion but also a future star.
Cruz has, to be fair, had a somewhat slow burn of an early pro career, with it being said that the man who was born in Matanzas, Cuba could perhaps have been a little more active. But the upcoming final elimination bout will hopefully prove instrumental in getting Cruz to where he wants to go. The current IBF lightweight title is somewhat confusing right now, as Vasiliy Lomachenko remains as the full champion yet he has been inactive for a little over a year, with Raymond Muratalla having just won the interim version of the title.
Eyes on Lomachenko, but Cruz says Mishiro gets full focus
It would of course be something special if “Loma” came back and fought Cruz should Cruz do as he is expected to do and defeat Mishiro. But this is all just speculation at this time. Cruz says he has put the work in for the June 14 fight.
“I’ve put in the hard work and dedication, and I can’t wait to step into the ring again,” Cruz said as quoted by The Ring. “This fight isn’t just about winning; it’s about showing my people the passion I have for the sport. I’m ready to prove that I’m a contender and bring that win home.”
Cruz will no doubt enter the ring as a big favourite to win against Mishiro, but again, the man from Japan – where the sport really is buzzing today – has never been stopped. Can Cruz win this one, and will he then get a shot at winning what could be the first of more than one or two world titles later this year?