Newly elevated IBF lightweight world champ Raymond Muratalla pulled a small upset in a 12 round decision over former Cuban Olympic Gold Medalist Andy Cruz Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Even though Raymond Muratalla entered the Las Vegas ring Saturday night as the reigning IBF lightweight titleholder, younger, undefeated and armed with four times as many professional bouts as Cuban Andy Cruz, he still found himself cast as the underdog heading into his mandatory defense.
Yet, Muratalla didn’t concern himself with expectations or reputations. He did what he’s always done — packed his lunch, applied pressure, and went to work. And, in the end he but on a relentless show and retained his 135-pound title with a fiercely contested majority decision over Cruz in the main event of a Matchroom Boxing card streamed on DAZN Saturday night at the Fontainebleau Hotel.
It marked the first successful defense of the belt for Muratalla, who had been elevated from interim champion to full titleholder when future hall of famer Vasiliy Lomachenko vacated the title following his retirement in June.
Judge Max DeLuca scored the bout even at 114-114, while Steve Weisfeld had it 116-112 for Muratalla. Tim Cheatham turned in the craziest card at 118-110, a score that isn't defensible given the competitive nature of the fight.
“I’m a champion at the end of the day,” Muratalla said afterward. “I came here to do what I was supposed to do and I got the win tonight. I deserve to be here. I worked my ass off to get here, and it’s showing.”
Cruz, meanwhile, believed his performance warranted a different outcome.
“I always feel like I could do a bit more,” Cruz said through an interpreter. “But tonight, to be totally honest, I believe I did enough. I deserved the victory.”
Muratalla, now 24-0, 17 KOs, has long operated under the radar — a laid-back personality, little hype, and a workmanlike approach that rarely commands headlines. Cruz arrived with a far louder reputation. A 2020 Cuban Olympic gold medalist, Cruz was widely regarded as one of the finest amateurs of his generation. After defecting and signing with Matchroom Boxing in 2023, many believed it was only a matter of time — and only a handful of fights — before he would be challenging for a world title.
That moment arrived in just his seventh professional bout. The 30 year old Cruz, now 6-1, 3 KOs, fighting out of Miami, earned the opportunity by winning a title eliminator in June, and he largely justified the confidence placed in him. He boxed sharply, used his footwork, snapped hard jabs, fired crisp combinations, and countered effectively throughout the fight.
What he couldn’t do consistently, however, was discourage Muratalla.
“I didn’t care about his background or where he’s from,” Muratalla said. “None of that mattered to me. I was in the gym working hard, and I came here to win.”
From the opening bell, their was action. Cruz sought space, circling and picking his shots from the outside, while the 29 year old Muratalla pressed forward, determined to turn the contest into a physical fight. Muratalla repeatedly targeted Cruz's body, attempting to sap his movement and slow his legs as the rounds wore on.
Nearly every round was competitive. According to CompuBox stats, Muratalla landed 175 of 611 punches (29 percent), while Cruz connected on 176 of 537 (33 percent) — a single punch separating them. Only four rounds saw a difference of more than four landed punches, and each fighter led in landed shots in six rounds apiece.
Again, a very even fight headed down the stretch.
Ultimately, it was Muratalla who finished stronger. In the 11th, he buckled Cruz’s knees with a left hand and followed with a combination moments later. The final two rounds featured heavy exchanges, with Muratalla slightly busier and more aggressive until the final bell
When the scorecards were read, Muratalla — his eyes swollen, his belt still around his waist — had secured the biggest win of his career.
“I knew he wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure over 12 rounds,” Muratalla said. “It was smart pressure. I didn’t fall into his traps. I broke him down round by round.”
With his first defense complete, Muratalla is already looking ahead. He has interest in moving up to junior welterweight and targeting the biggest names available and that includes next Saturday night's PPV main event at Madison Square Garden with Teofimo Lopez defending the WBO junior welterweight title against unbeaten, WBC lightweight champ, Shakur Stevenson, who's debuting a weight higher.
“I want the biggest fights,” Muratalla said. “I want the winner of Shakur and Teo.”