This is not how promoters usually act when their fighter walks into a title shot.
Cruz is the betting favorite, and that part makes sense. He’s an Olympic gold medalist, and he’s looked unbeatable as a pro. The eye test has been kind to him so far. Muratalla, meanwhile, is the IBF lightweight champion, undefeated with 28 wins, and much more experienced at this level. However, experience only goes so far if the level of opposition was not high.
Muratalla’s best wins came against Tevin Farmer and Zaur Abdullaev. Solid professionals, but not stellar competition. Neither do fighters who have looked anywhere near Cruz’s level in their own pro careers. That doesn’t mean Muratalla can’t win. Still, he doesn’t have the kind of wins on his resume that suggest he’ll prevail against the Cuban-born Cruz.
The fight is a mandatory defense, so Muratalla has no choice. The battle was ordered. He had hoped to take a volunteer before battle was ordered, but he did not move fast enough to get it made. Ultimately, Muratalla ran out of time as the IBF ordered him to face Cruz.
So why the hesitation from Hearn? Part of it feels like salesmanship. Everyone already expects Cruz to win. Calling it 50 50 keeps the fight alive in conversation. This indicates danger without a doubt. It also quietly shifts attention to the one thing Cruz hasn’t shown yet.
“Andy is Andy,” Hearn said. “This is his moment. But Muratalla has been there before.”
Muratalla went twelve rounds in championship fights. Cruz did not. It’s just a box waiting to be checked.
And then there’s Cruz’s reputation as a lightweight. Fighters talked around him. Opportunities did not rush his way. Keyshawn Davis was one of the names that never materialized, even with public calls floating around.
Hearn didn’t have to say Cruz should win. Everyone already thinks so. What he does instead is leave just enough room for doubt to make the fight feel real to create interest.
