Andy Cruz is set to fight Abraham Montoya tonight in Carson, using his disputed January loss to Raymond Muratalla as fuel for his return. The Cuban lightweight contender insists the defeat only sharpened his focus and is treating this bout as a relaunch of his championship run.
The 2020 Olympic gold medalist suffered his first professional defeat via a close majority decision to Muratalla in an IBF title fight that many observers felt he won. Rather than protest the outcome, Cruz has reframed the experience as a necessary lesson on his path. He is not dwelling on the past. Instead, he is focused on the task at hand against Montoya, who is coming off an upset victory over Antonio Perez.
Cruz explained his mindset on learning from the setback. “Of course, you always take lessons and experience, even from victories, because nothing is perfect. You always learn something new in every fight, and the Muratalla fight was no exception,” he said. The fight confirmed he belongs at the highest level of the sport, regardless of the official result.
He further detailed how the high-stakes encounter prepared him for future championship challenges. “I learned a lot. It was the biggest fight of my professional career so far against a fighter of Muratalla’s level. It showed me I’m ready to compete at this level. It was a very competitive fight, and beyond the result, both of us gained because we put on a great show and proved we’re ready for the biggest fights. What happened in my last fight was gasoline for me.”
This fight against Montoya carries significant weight. Cruz was originally scheduled for an IBF title eliminator against Albert Bell, but that opportunity dissolved when Bell took another fight. The setback forced a change in plans but not in objective. For the 30-year-old, a convincing victory is the only acceptable outcome. It is his most direct path back into the crowded lightweight title conversation and a chance to prove the loss to Muratalla was simply a delay, not a derailment.
