IBF lightweight champion Raymond Muratalla vs. #3 Andy Cruz is possible for the November card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The deal needs to be finalized. It would be Muratalla’s first defense after being elevated to IBF 135-lb champion.

Fight Not Finalized Yet

Other fights on the November card

• David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde
• Brian Norman Jr. vs. Devin Haney
• Abdullah Mason vs. Sam Noakes

Cruz (6-0, 3 KOs) could steal the show for the event if he schools the big puncher Muratalla (23-0, 17 KOs) if he turns in the kind of performance he did in his last fight against Hironori Mishiro last June at Madison Square Garden in New York City. 

Muratalla captured the IBF interim lightweight title last May with a lopsided 12-round unanimous decision win over Zaur Abdullaev.

Some fans already view this fight as Muratalla turning over his IBF title to Cruz because he lacks the technical ability to defeat the Cuban talent. Hopefully, Muratalla makes it entertaining while it lasts.

“I’ve been informed that there’s a strong possibility that Raymond Muratalla will defend his IBF lightweight world title against Andy Cruz on the November card in Riyadh. However, the deal has not yet been finalized,” said Fernando Sabatini on X.

The 2020 Olympic gold medalist, Cruz, appears to be already the best fighter in the lightweight division after just two years in the professional ranks. Keyshawn Davis wanted no part of fighting him before exiting the division, and Shakur Stevenson won’t even mention his name. That’s a fighter that Cruz would love to fight, but it doesn’t look like the feelings are mutual.

That’s a clear sign that Cruz is a fighter that none of the top fighters want to mix it up with because of what he could do to their careers. The negative side of that is that Cruz will be avoided like the plague unless Turki Alalshikh entices them to face him.