Raymond Muratalla-Andy Cruz is a fantastic fight. It’s also a fighter’s fight – even if masses of the public aren’t tuning in to watch it, plenty of fighters will be.
I’ve watched Muratalla on the undercards of Top Rank promotions for years. I’d been concerned that he’d become stale, as a consequence of not getting a world-title shot, but his chance came when when he remained sufficiently young and before he became too seasoned, and he’s since moved into his prime.
I’ve also been very impressed with Cruz. If he realises his potential he has the ability to trouble any of his possible opponents in the coming years – he’s developed at breakneck speed because he’s improved, so much, over the course of his six professional fights. He and Muratalla are incredibly well matched – and, I believe, in the event of victory deserve to be considered the best lightweight in the world.
As entertaining as was Abdullah Mason’s victory in November over Sam Noakes, Noakes – who’s also capable of becoming a major player at 135lbs – showed that Mason, whose potential is almost unrivalled, still has to mature. Muratalla and Cruz are not only both more physically mature, they are also both more seasoned.
Muratalla’s good at everything. He can box. He has excellent technique. He’s physically very strong. He’s big at the weight. He has good stamina, and he’s got power. In Robert Garcia he’s also working under perhaps the trainer of 2025; Robert’s previously told me how very disciplined he is, and he also has the benefit of training alongside and sparring Vergil Ortiz Jnr and Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.
What he lacks at the very highest level is experience. Despite being 29 years old and entering his 24th fight, he hasn’t shared the ring with a variety of styles from opponents who are there to win. Even with his promoters Top Rank being as good as they are at matchmaking, there are occasions when their fighters can fall short against opponents sharing their abilities and ambition.
Cruz’s impressive amateur career – which seems to be getting overlooked – tells one side of his story. His progress as a professional tells another. He, very quickly – he’s only had six fights – evolved from a Cuban amateur, albeit an Olympic gold medallist, into a particularly aggressive professional. In his fourth fight, against the very tough Antonio Moran – who I’ve watched regularly with ProBox TV – he looked so dangerous.
Shakur Stevenson once said that the only boxer with an IQ capable of matching his is Cruz. Stevenson’s as close to an unbeatable fighter as there is, and there’s no question Cruz is as intelligent as they come. Cruz, 30 years old, isn’t as mature as Stevenson as a professional, but, like with Stevenson, if you can’t hit him, how can you beat him? He’s also active, and has a good jab and power. He’s also continuing to improve – which is remarkable.
Similarly to Muratalla, however, Cruz also lacks experience as a professional at the highest level. If something else he shares with Muratalla is that, under Derek “Bozy” Ennis – an association I really like for him – he’s also in another gym full of killers where the sparring can do so much for him, the reality is he’s not the biggest at 135lbs.
I don’t think we’ll see Stevenson fighting at lightweight again. I also don’t think we’ll see Keyshawn Davis at lightweight again, either. We might see Teofimo Lopez there in the future, but I doubt it, and Gervonta “Tank” Davis may never fight again at all. If Mason needs to continue developing, Cruz, by beating someone as good as Muratalla, has the opportunity to make himself the lightweight to beat.
I’ve spoken to both Top Rank and Matchroom, the respective promoters of Muratalla and Cruz, and both are full of confidence in their fighters. The uncertainty surrounding Top Rank’s future is part of the reason this fight is headlining a Matchroom promotion. That uncertainty means that they need champions – they wouldn’t encourage him to enter this fight if they didn’t believe that he can win.
I fully expect an entertaining fight. At his best Cruz has become an active boxer-puncher, and Muratalla consistently seeks knockouts. It’s a high-level chess match with dangerous consequences for both.
For Cruz to be successful he needs to find his range immediately. He’s a timing-and-range fighter – if he establishes both early, Muratalla’s destined for a long and difficult night. But if Muratalla can force Cruz to exchange early and to trade with him – and force a physical contest – Cruz will have to make adjustments.
Taking the many factors into account – many of them uncertain – I consider Cruz a narrow favourite but I can not only also see a fight that Muratalla wins, I can even see one he wins via stoppage. I ultimately believe Cruz is more versatile – he has a better defence and is a hit-and-don’t-get-hit type of fighter. I’ve also seen Muratalla struggle in fights, and suspect that he potentially struggles to make 135lbs.
What also interests me is that this fight pits the camps of Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Ortiz Jnr against one another. Both will be watching the other with a particularly keen eye to learn what they can ahead of another of the very best fights that can be made.
