Andy Cruz’s trainer, Derek ‘Bozy’ Ennis, believes he’s got the goods to defeat WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson. He views that fight as a “technical” one, but he feels that the 2020 Cuban Olympic medalist has power that sets him apart from Stevenson.
(Credit: Geoffrey Knott/Matchroom)
Bozy Ennis Backs Andy Cruz
Cruz (6-0, 3 KOs) displayed some of his power in his recent fifth-round knockout of Hironori Mishiro in an IBF lightweight title eliminator on June 14th. He dropped Mishiro twice with big shots in round three, and had him on the verge of going down in the fifth when the referee stopped the contest.
Shakur is a good fighter, but he can’t crack eggs and would be overwhelmed by Cruz’s offense. The offensive limitations and the tendency to move nonstop when under pressure would prevent Stevenson from beating a fighter of Andy Cruz’s class.
Hearn Protecting Shakur Stevenson
It’s doubtful that Shakur’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, will let him fight Andy Cruz because his focus is steering him into the mega-money unification fight against Gervonta Davis. Hearn didn’t sign Shakur just to put him in with the 2020 Olympic gold medalist Cruz and watch him get exposed in a one-sided loss.
The way to get a return on the money Hearn has paid to sign Shakur is to keep him winning long enough to get the Tank Davis fight. Hence, that’s why Stevenson was matched against Josh Padley last February. It’s all about keeping him winning. It’s pathetic, but it’s business.
“That would be a tremendous fight, him and Shakur. Yes, indeed,” said trainer Derek ‘Bozy’ Ennis to YSM Sports Media about a fight between Andy Cruz and Shakur Stevenson. “I got to go with my guy [Cruz]. That’s what it’s going to be, technical,” said Bozy when asked what kind of fight it would be between Cruz and Shakur.
Cruz = Shakur’s Offensive Nightmare
Andy Cruz would be a nightmare for Shakur because of his hand speed, precision punching, and superior offensive skills. Cruz’s output is better than Shakur’s, and his power is way above Shakur’s. We’ve seen Stevenon’s limitations when he fought Edwin De Los Santos and Jeremia Nakathilia. He’s forced to run against fighters with power, and doesn’t have the ability to stand his ground like Cruz does.
“Both of them are smart, sharp, and they know what they’re doing. They don’t waste no shots when you look at it. One thing about Andy is that he listens to you, and he executes. People think he can’t punch, but he can punch,” said Bozy about Cruz.
Andy’s ability to listen and follow instructions from Bozy like a machine is what makes him so dangerous. If Bozy tells Cruz to go after Shakur, he’s going to follow orders and likely knock him out. It would be a one-sided fight due to Stevenson’s lack of offense.
If you could transplant Gervonta Davis’ power into Shakur’s body, he’d have a chance at beating Andy Cruz. But with the way he is now, he’d be food for Andy, and be embarrassed.
Andy’s Skills: Speed, Precision
“You notice after one, two, three rounds, he gets better and better. He turns on more and more. That’s when he starts picking it up. I think it’s his precision. The way he throws those punches, and he’s accurate. He doesn’t miss many shots if you notice. I think he’s awesome with his speed. He has speed, too. He’s getting ready to fight Muratalla,” said Bozy.
Cruz defeated Hironori Mishiro in an IBF lightweight title eliminator on June 14th to become the mandatory challenger for champion Raymond Muratalla. The fight between Andy and Muratalla could take place later this year or in 2026. It depends on the IBF and Top Rank.
It’s believed that Muratalla’s promoters at Top Rank will delay the Cruz fight as long as possible because there is a high chance of him losing. You can’t blame them. Muratalla is a good fighter, but one-dimensional, and would be overmatched against Cruz just like Shakur.
Last Updated on 06/21/2025
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