Andy Cruz is fighting Hironori Mishiro in a final IBF lightweight eliminator this Saturday, June 14th, to determine the mandatory challenger for 135-lb champion Raymond Muratalla. Mishiro has very little chance of winning on Saturday. The only question is, will Cruz knock him out or beat him by a lopsided decision like he did in his last fight against Omar Salcido Gamez?
(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom)
Cruz vs. Mishiro: IBF Eliminator
It’s expected that the IBF will order Muratalla to defend against the winner of the Cruz vs. Mishiro match within 9 to 12 months. That leaves little time for Muratalla (23-0, 17 KOs) to squeeze in a couple of easy defenses before potentially facing the talented 2020 Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz. Muratalla didn’t look so great winning the IBF interim title last month against Zaur Abdullaev on May 10th.
Raymond Muratalla is criticized for being one-dimensional, fighting in one gear, and lacking the killer instinct in his fights. He fights predictably, often resembling a zombie during his bouts, and appears lifeless during interviews. Missing that spark.
Cruz is a nightmare for anyone in the 135-lb division and was avoided like the plague by Top Rank’s fighter, Keyshawn Davis. He wanted nothing to do with Cruz after losing to him four times in the amateurs.
Andy repeatedly called out Keyshawn, trying to get him to fight him, but he wouldn’t do it. He had every excuse in the book to avoid Cruz, and now he’s got another one after choosing to move up to 140.
Top Rank’s Muratalla-Cruz Problem
It’s not ideal for Top Rank for their fighter, Muratalla, to be faced with a high-level fighter like Andy Cruz breathing down his neck immediately after he was elevated to the new IBF champion following Vasily Lomachenko’s retirement last week.
Top Rank would likely prefer that Muratalla get time to milk his IBF belt before facing a risky opponent that has little chance of winning. They chose the wrong belt to position Muratalla to grab, and he could be stuck with Cruz as his mandatory challenger if he’s victorious on Saturday.
Hitchins-Kambosos Undercard Fights
– Alexis Barriere vs. Roney Hines
– Ernesto Mercado vs. Jonathan Montrel
– Pablo Valdez vs. Cesar Diaz
– Nishant Dev vs. Josue Silva
– Zaquin Moses vs. Carl Rogers
– Adam Maca vs. Rafael Castillo
DAZN Fight Night Preview
Saturday’s event will be broadcast on DAZN at 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT. Cruz (5-0, 2 KOs) vs. Mishiro (17-1-1, 6 KOs) is the co-feature bout on the Richardson Hitchins vs. George Kambosos card.
Last Updated on 06/08/2025
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