Andy Cruz Added to Burgeoning Aug. 3 Card in Los Angeles
Apr 24, 2024 • 1:49 PM ET
The Aug. 3 card in Los Angeles being staged by Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, landed another significant talent with the announcement that two-time Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz of Cuba will fight Mexico’s Antonio Moran.
“I don’t know my opponent very well, but I don’t underestimate anyone,” Cruz (3-0, 1 KO) said on stage.
Cruz promoter Eddie Hearn said his fighter is hoping to follow the veteran test of Moran (30-6-1, 21 KOs) by pursuing a lightweight title fight.
“I came to fight the very best and I’ll fight anyone,” Cruz said.
With the WBO and IBF lightweight belts vacant, Cruz is training with Bozy Ennis, the father of welterweight titleholder Jaron “Boots” Ennis.
“They’re willing to face anybody,” Hearn said. “We have a real test in Moran, and Andy Cruz will be ready to fight for a championship this year.”
In the amateurs, Cruz defeated current WBC lightweight titleholder Shakur Stevenson to win Olympic gold. Stevenson will also be freed up following his upcoming title defense in Newark, N.J.
The other lightweight titleholder is Gervonta “Tank” Davis, who will defend his belt June 15 against Frank Martin in Las Vegas.
Lance Pugmire has been a full-time boxing writer for nearly 20 years, serving now as BoxingScene’s U.S. Senior Writer and assistant producer for ProBoxTV’s “BoxingScene Today.” Pugmire capped a near 20-year career at the Los Angeles Times (sports investigations, NHL/MLB beat work, law enforcement/courts and boxing/UFC) to join The Athletic, and then USA Today. Pugmire’s stint at The Times started with the first Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez fight and the Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jnr then-record pay-per-view, leading through a slew of ringside assignments at major bouts, including Mayweather-Pacquiao, Mayweather-Canelo and the Canelo-Golovkin trilogy. Lance’s appreciation for boxing is rooted in his admiration and appreciation for the fighters, gladiators who have proven to be the most forthcoming and candid of all the athletes he has interviewed over a career dating to 1990. Lance was honored to be named the 2022 winner of the Boxing Writers Association of America Nat Fleischer Award for career excellence and he’s collected many BWAA writing awards in categories ranging from breaking news to deep-dive long features.
