Much sooner than expected, Andy Cruz could fight for the world title that eluded him at the end of last month.
He cuban boxerwho is known in the field of professional boxing as “The Diamond”, will have an opportunity to redeem himself from the defeat suffered a few weeks ago, when he tried unsuccessfully to dethrone the American Raymond Muratalla.
The possibility of re-editing that duel before the end of the year became real this Monday, when the International Boxing Federation (IBF) officially ordered a fight to be held to define the new challenger for the current monarch and Cruz is one of those called.
The Yumurino was called by the IBF along with the American Albert Bell to fight obligatorily, not in just one more fight, but in what would be the prelude to the title of the 135-pound division. according to The New Herald.
CRUZ COULD BE SET FOR FINAL ELIMINATOR
✅ Have confirmed that the IBF has sent an invitation letter to Andy Cruz for an IBF lightweight title final eliminator against Albert Bell which would make the winner mandatory to champion Raymond Muratalla. pic.twitter.com/5M1yjlwZYR
—EverythingBoxing | Darshan Desai (@EverythingBoxi2) February 16, 2026
Despite losing undefeated against Muratalla, Andy’s handlers were looking for the shortest path to revenge, and now an unbeatable door has once again been opened for him to demonstrate how much he has assimilated the lessons of that setback in Las Vegas.
According to the media, signs of acceptance have already been given from those around the Cuban boxer – who as a recruit has six successes and a single defeat, precisely the one suffered against the champion – although he has until next Thursday to make a final decision.
Conditional call
The conditions exposed by the IBF imply an enormous risk for anyone who declines the option of ordered combat.
Cruz currently occupies the seventh place in the ranking of the category, and Bell is one above in the ranking, says the Heraldand if there is no agreement, the boxing entity would give the opportunity to the next available contender.
In addition, the person summoned who does not accept the negotiation would remain below the tenth place in the ranking for the next six months and will not be able to accept another fight until the process of defining the mandatory challenger is completed.
This short path to another major duel is not new for Andy, since since his emergence into the professional boxing His career has taken on a dizzying pace.
That they were barely enough for him six fights to launch his candidacy to a world title support their quality and their impact on the division. His next challenge, if the negotiations come to fruition as expected, will also be a very demanding exam.
Bell, 31, is also aware of how much is at stake in this movement. The American would arrive undefeated in 28 appearances, nine of them resolved by KO.
