The IBF lightweight title will be on the line January 24, as unbeaten champion Raymond Muratalla defends his belt against two-time Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas. The matchup is now officially set after purse bid details were finalized, with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing earning the right to stage the bout. Matchroom won the purse bid with an offer of $888,888, comfortably outbidding Muratalla’s promoter Top Rank, which submitted $550,000. Under the terms of the bid, Muratalla will receive 65%, totaling $577,777.20, while Cruz will earn $311,110.80.
For Muratalla (23-0, 17 KOs), the fight marks the first defense of his title. He initially captured the interim version by defeating Zaur Abdullaev on May 10 before being elevated to full champion following Vasiliy Lomachenko’s sudden retirement. The 28-year-old enters the bout undefeated and riding strong momentum in a breakthrough year.
Cruz (6-0, 3 KOs) secured his mandatory position with a dominant performance over Hironori Mishiro at Madison Square Garden on June 14, stopping him in the fifth round. The former amateur standout now looks to claim his first world championship in just his seventh professional fight.
Fight card:
▪️Raymond Muratalla vs. Andy Cruz, 12 rounds, for the IBF World lightweight title
