Why Andy Cruz is a special talent - Analysing his career so far ahead of world title challenge

It has been a whirlwind three years for Cuba's Andy Cruz, who, after just six professional fights, is set for his first big test in boxing. 

On Saturday night, live on DAZN, Cruz will challenge for a world title when he takes on IBF light champion Raymond Muratalla in Las Vegas. 

After capturing gold at the Tokyo Olympics, the next stage for Cruz was to be successful in the pro ranks, and already, he has shown why he is a special talent. 

Here, DAZN News' Matt Astbury goes through all six of Cruz's previous fights and how the Cuban has sharpened his skills ahead of Saturday's world title charge. 

Cruz's attack-first style captures the eye in pro debut - July 15, 2023

After all the fanfare surrounding Cruz's decision to turn professional with Matchroom, he needed to put on a show in his professional debut against Juan Carlos Burgos. 

Instead of opting for a defensive style, Cruz chose to be on the front foot, using his jab and dictating the pace of the fight by nullifying any attempts by Burgos to slow the contest down. 

Even as the 10-round contest entered the latter stages, Cruz still had plenty of energy, and even his promoter, Eddie Hearn, was in awe, calling his new signing a "genius" on DAZN's live broadcast. 

This unanimous decision win from Cruz set the tone for what was set to be an exciting journey. 

Cruz delivers first professional stoppage in brutal fashion - December 9, 2023

With his first professional win under his belt, Cruz would look to tick off another milestone, his first win by knockout. 

For him that came against Jovanni Straffon in San Francisco. 

From the opening bell, Cruz wasted no time in the ring and landed a perfect left-right combination towards the end of the opening session.

Cruz continued to find openings with a whole array of punches landing clean. Straffon was put out of his misery in the third after the referee had seen the Mexican take enough punishment. 

Two fights in, and Cruz's professional journey was off to a flying start. 

Cruz's strengths on show against Brayan Zamarripa - February 24, 2024

This clash with Brayan Zamarripa in Orlando may not have been the most enthralling, but it showed certain aspects of Cruz's game which made him special. 

Cruz and Zamarripa went the full 10-round distance, but the former certainly left his mark. 

The thumping power Cruz was able to put behind his punches, with what looked like little effort, was something to behold, along with the near-perfect punch placement. 

Cruz won the bout on the cards, and in a career which is being steered towards a world title at a rapid pace, another 10 rounds in the bank are invaluable. 

Antonio Moran posed unique test for Cruz in stadium fight - August 3, 2024

Featuring on a stadium fight card headlined by Terence Crawford, this was Cruz's first outing on a big stage. 

His opponent, Antonio Moran, however, was going to make it as difficult as possible inside the ring, and for the first time in Cruz's career, he was facing an opponent who was willing to meet him centre ring and trade. 

To the naked eye, it looked like Cruz's hand speed was quicker, and he was kept on his toes after being rocked by Moran in the fourth. 

With trainer Bozy Ennis in his corner, Cruz was showcasing his Cuban technique combined with the aggression of a Philly fighter, and after six rounds studying Moran, Cruz was urged by his corner to go for the knockout.

He successfully acted on this order, winding Moran with a right in the seventh before three more Cruz right hands resulted in the fight being stopped. 

Cruz forced to box in Omar Salcido fight - January 25, 2025

Melina Pizano/Matchroom

The reiterated message from Cruz's team in the build-up to this meeting with Omas Salcido is that they wanted the Cuban to box, and it was the right approach. 

Salcido was a threat; he had won 14 of his 20 fights by knockout, and if he managed to produce something similar, then it would be his biggest scalp. 

As Cruz used his footwork to keep out of danger, he did buckle Salcido with his favoured right hand in the fourth. 

Salcido did manage to create some moments of concern, highlighting that Cruz's focus can be an issue. 

After 11 rounds, Cruz decided to turn on the gas and hunt for a knockout, but Salcido stayed firm before the former was announced as the victor by unanimous decision. 

Cruz secures world title shot with statement knockout - June 14, 2025

The world title fight was within Cruz's grasp in New York, but first, he needed to get past Japan's Hironori Mishiro in an IBF eliminator. 

While Mishiro was undefeated, his style was perfect for Cruz. The Japanese fighter was very stiff, making him an easy target for Cruz, who was landing his punches with ease. 

Mishiro was knocked down twice in the third courtesy of Cruz's right hand, and it was a sign of things to come. 

Cruz's power was too much for Mishiro, who was being marked up, and a left-right from Cruz ended the fight in the fifth. 

Now, a world title shot awaited the Olympic gold medallist. 

What makes Cruz a special fighter? 

What makes Cruz a special fighter to watch is the fact that he's not afraid to go on the front foot. 

Unlike some of his Cuban predecessors who opted for a defensive and careful approach, Cruz is willing to meet his opponents head-on and trade. 

There is also a frightening accuracy to his punches. Watching his past fights, he finds the target with ease, and the power comes from very little effort, which explains his ability to look relatively fresh whenever his fights enter the championship rounds. 

At times, Cruz is prone to losing focus, but that may be down to the superior ability he has over his past opponents.

On Saturday night, he cannot afford to do that against IBF lightweight champion Muratalla, who is ready to burst the bubble surrounding the Cuban, live on DAZN. 

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