The IBF has ordered unbeaten lightweight champion Raymond Muratalla to defend his title against No. 1 contender Andy Cruz.
IBF championships chairman George Martinez confirmed that both camps have 30 days to negotiate. If no agreement is reached, the fight will head to purse bid.
Muratalla captured the IBF lightweight title with a May 10 victory over Zaur Abdullaev in San Diego. Initially, he explored voluntary options, with rumors of a Floyd Schofield Jr. bout, but nothing materialized. The timeline for his mandatory defense was accelerated following Vasiliy Lomachenko’s retirement, which saw Muratalla upgraded to full champion.
Cruz, the 2020 Olympic gold medalist from Cuba, earned his mandatory status with a sixth-round stoppage of Hironori Mishiro in June. Matchroom, Cruz’s promoter, has expressed strong interest in securing broadcast rights through DAZN, while Muratalla’s promoter Top Rank currently lacks a U.S. broadcast partner after its ESPN deal expired this summer.
Per IBF rules, if Muratalla fails to proceed, he will be stripped of the belt. If Cruz pulls out, he will lose his ranking and be ineligible for IBF fights for six months.
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