Muratalla vs Cruz Predictions: New champ gets gold medal mandatory

Raymond Muratalla gets a doozy of a first defence of his IBF lightweight title when he takes on Andy Cruz this Saturday, January 24. The world championship attraction headlines at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas in Nevada. DAZN will carry the event live on their platform

Read on for my Muratalla vs Cruz predictions.

Muratalla vs Cruz Odds

The challenger is the favourite here, with Cruz coming in at 4/11. Muratalla, an undefeated world champion don’t forget, is priced at 12/5. No ordinary fight this one. If you can’t split two world level competitors who have never lost, the draw is priced at 14/1.

Muratalla vs Cruz Fight Preview

The shoe is firmly on the other foot for new IBF champ Muratalla. The 29-year-old has been steered towards a world title as an unbeaten prospect predicted for great things. But now he sits on the throne, the crown just got a whole lot heavier. Rather than a soft-touch challenger to fortify his position, Muratalla goes from hunter to hunted against Cruz.

Only 6-0, the Tokyo 2020 gold medalist is no ordinary prospect. Cuban Cruz is on the fast-track to success after a highly-decorated amateur career. Three World Amateur Championsip golds. Two at the Pan-American Games. Four-time Cuban National Champion in a nation that leads the way in the amateur code. It is a frankly terrifying resume.

Thus Muratalla must negotiate life in the wrong place at the wrong time. Despite his elevation from interim champion to big kahuna, by virtue of Vasiliy Lomachenko vacating the IBF belt to retire, ‘Danger’ is a worthy champion.

During his meteoric rise, Muratalla has beaten tricky former world champion Tevin Farmer, became the first man to knock out the durable Jesus Antonio Campos, blasted out contender Jeremia Nakathila in two rounds and out-foxed wily fringe name Xolisani Ndongeni.

Best of all, Muratalla out-pointed the fearsome Zaur Abdullaev in a near-shutout to take the IBF interim title. He might have benefited from ‘Loma’ calling it a day, but Muratalla earned this title by any metric.

But world champions have obligations and Muratalla has to contend with a brutal mandatory challenge here. Keenly aware of his age, having stayed longer in the amateur game to snare that Olympic gold, Cruz has wasted no time since turning over.

Cruz’s first pro opponent was former world title challenger Juan Carlos Burgos. In his second fight, ‘Diamante’ knocked out Jovanni Straffon, the former IBO champion who KO’ed James Tennyson out in a single round.

Cruz has also finished Antonio Moran, the gatekeeper extraordinaire who has fought everyone from Devin Haney to Jose Pedraza. In his last outing, Cruz punched his ticket to a title shot with a fifth-round stoppage over Japanese lightweight champion Hironori Mishiro.

As much as this fight is being perceived as Cruz’s coronation, it is true that Muratalla is the best professional opponent of the Cuban’s career so far. This is a fighter who is in his athletic prime. He does not know the bitter assault on the palette that is defeat.

Muratalla has been groomed for greatness. Even though the chips have fallen in such a way that he is cast as the obstacle in another man’s story, you can bet ‘Diamante’ will be the spikiest of roadblocks. Cruz is destined for the top. But he will have to work devilishly hard to get there.

Muratalla vs Cruz Full Card

Raymond Muratalla vs Andy Cruz

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Muratalla vs Cruz Prediction

As much as I have made the case for Muratalla as a live dog, and believe me he is, I do think we will see the ascension of one Andy Cruz. 

Muratalla will look to establish that long left jab. He uses speed and power well, introducing his right hand to the part with slashing straights. But the champion is a little straight-backed in his stance, not moving his head often enough and catching strays.

Cruz is rhythmic in his work, adjusting the dial and upping his output when openings occur. He throws with pace in the pocket to take the play away from even the most game opponents. Cruz can trade, but he prefers to hit and not get hit. I don’t think he’ll get hit enough by Muratalla to be unduly troubled. 

I’m taking the Cuban on points, which is one of our Price Boosts. Cruz on the cards is up from 4/5 to 5/6.

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