Andy Cruz Trusts Philly Training Ahead of Muratalla Title Fight

Andy Cruz believes Saturday is the point where his choices stop being theoretical.

When Andy Cruz challenges Raymond Muratalla for the IBF lightweight title at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, it will be his seventh professional fight. That fact still sits uncomfortably in a division where most champions arrive after years of seasoning. Cruz is 30. He knows the arithmetic. He also knows this is the test he signed up for.

The most obvious gamble came away from the ring. Instead of training in Miami or Las Vegas, Cruz relocated to Philadelphia to work with Derek Ennis. It was not a branding move.

The move was meant to break habits and change how Cruz operated day to day, placing him in Philadelphia gyms where rounds are demanding, pressure is constant, and comfort is not part of the routine.

Fighters are expected to hold ground and answer back. Cruz wanted that environment, even if it ran against Cuban custom.

The shift has altered how he fights. The footwork and timing are still there, but he is more willing to engage. He sits down on shots. He stays in exchanges longer. Training alongside Jaron Ennis, Stephen Fulton, and Jack Catterall has forced him to accept pressure rather than avoid it. That matters against Muratalla, who works at pace and does not pause to admire his work.

Muratalla prepares in California under Robert Garcia, a gym known for volume and structure. The pairing also carries a quiet gym subplot, with Garcia guiding Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Ennis leading his own rise. Cruz understands the comparison but keeps his focus narrow. He says Muratalla is the best professional opponent he has faced, even compared to his amateur bouts with Keyshawn Davis.

Outside the ring, Cruz’s career has already demanded heavy costs. Turning professional meant leaving Cuba, losing his place on the national team, and spending long stretches away from his family. Winters in Philadelphia added another layer of difficulty. Cruz speaks about that time without flourish. He describes it as necessary work, not something to be praised.

The lightweight division itself is thinning. Davis has moved up. Shakur Stevenson has done the same. Gervonta Davis remains inactive. Fighters such as Abdullah Mason are emerging, but those discussions come later.

For now, Cruz is dealing with the present. This fight decides whether the route he chose works at championship level. There is no safety net here. If the plan holds, it confirms his direction. If it does not, the clock will not slow down for him.