Raymond Muratalla believes his majority decision victory over Andy Cruz finally validated his status as a legitimate world champion. The IBF lightweight titleholder retained his belt Saturday night at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, upsetting the heavily favored 2021 Olympic gold medalist in a grueling 12-round contest.
Muratalla leaned on pressure, body work and power punching to hand Cruz his first professional defeat. Two judges scored the fight decisively in Muratalla’s favor, while a third had it even. Despite Cruz outlanding him by a single punch overall, Muratalla connected with 13 more power shots, a key difference in the judges’ eyes.
Trainer Robert Garcia said the game plan shifted after early “study rounds,” urging Muratalla to apply constant pressure and deny Cruz space to box. Facing an Olympic champion making a title bid in just his seventh professional fight, Muratalla followed instructions carefully, balancing aggression.
With his first successful defense complete, Muratalla now sees new possibilities. He expressed interest in eventually facing the winner of Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson, embracing the momentum of a victory he believes truly made him feel like a champion.
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