Andy Cruz is one win away from another shot at the IBF lightweight title.
Journalist Carlos Linares reports that Cruz will face undefeated contender Albert Bell in an IBF lightweight final eliminator on July 18 in Carson, California. Linares added that the winner will become the mandatory challenger for the winner of the August 1 title fight between IBF champion Raymond Muratalla and former two-division world champion Robson Conceição.
Cruz (6-1, 3 KOs) has unfinished business in the division after dropping a 12-round majority decision to Muratalla on January 24th. The official scores were 118-110 from Max DeLuca, 116-112 from Steve Weisfeld, and 114-114 on the third card.
The wide margins on two of the scorecards sparked debate among boxing followers, with many seeing the contest as significantly closer than the official verdict suggested. Cruz consistently found success with his sharp counterpunching and movement against Muratalla’s pressure, and some observers believed the Cuban had done enough to at least deserve a draw.
However, before Cruz can pursue a rematch, he must first defeat Bell (28-0, 9 KOs), an undefeated contender entering the biggest fight of his professional career. Bell got the opportunity after positioning himself near the top of the IBF rankings, while Cruz quickly climbed the ladder after a decorated amateur career that included Olympic gold.
With Muratalla preparing to defend his title against Conceição, the IBF lightweight picture is starting to take shape. Cruz now stands one win away from another chance to prove that his first meeting with the champion was closer than the scorecards indicated.
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Last updated on 2026/06/10 at 17:42
