Raymond Muratalla and Andy Cruz will have another week to figure out their future plans.
BoxingScene has confirmed that both parties were granted a one-week delay in the purse bid process. Their ordered IBF 135lbs title fight was due to head to a hearing Thursday but was rescheduled for October 23, following an agreed-upon request from Top Rank and Matchroom Boxing, the respective promoters for Muratalla and Cruz.
An extension is commonplace for such matters. However, this one was provided for a fight that was already in discussion for months and with at least one firm offer left on the table.
Muratalla, 23-0 (17 KOs), the reigning IBF lightweight titlist, originally planned to explore a voluntary defense before committing to a showdown with Cruz, 6-0 (3 KOs). The decision was made after initial discussions, which included the possibility of the fight landing on the November 22 Riyadh Season show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
At the time, the IBF indicated that California’s Muratalla had until February 10, 2026 – nine months from his interim title win over Zaur Abdullaev – to honor his mandatory. The sanctioning body subsequently ruled that Muratalla was required to satisfy his mandatory by no later than December 5.
Muratalla defeated Russia’s Abdullaev to win the interim version of the IBF 135lbs title on May 10 in San Diego. It came exactly 52 weeks after Vasiliy Lomachenko regained the full IBF title in a stoppage win over former lineal and unified champ George Kambosos Jnr.
Lomachenko had until October 9 to face Muratalla in a title consolidation fight. The double Olympic gold medalist and three-division titleholder instead relinquished the title and left the sport altogether this past June.
Muratalla was given an immediate upgrade but has not since made his way back to the ring.
Lomachenko’s retirement and Muratalla’s advanced title status also paved the way for Cruz to enter a final title eliminator. The 2020 Olympic gold medalist for Cuba became the mandatory challenger after his sixth-round stoppage of Hironori Mishiro on June 14 in New York City.
Matchroom originally sought a stay-busy fight for Cruz had Muratalla secured a voluntary defense. Those plans immediately evaporated once the IBF intervened and informed Muratalla of his updated obligation as its current beltholder.
Any effort by Cruz to go in another direction will result in his being dropped out of the IBF 135lbs top-10 rankings and declared ineligible to fight an IBF-sanctioned bout for at least six months.
