FRISCO, Texas – A title fight once targeted for a Riyadh Season show will soon be available to the highest bidder.
BoxingScene has confirmed that talks for the Raymond Muratalla-Andy Cruz mandatory IBF lightweight title fight have stalled and will likely require a purse bid. The development is unfortunate, as Top Rank and Matchroom Boxing – the respective promoters for Muratalla and Cruz – were seemingly on board for all terms.
However, the inability to secure the final sign-off from Muratalla and his immediate team ultimately resulted in such talks hitting a wall.
It’s worth noting that a deal can still be reached even after a purse bid hearing is formally ordered. However, the bout was previously eyed to serve as part of the already loaded November 22 “Ring IV: Night of Champions” super card at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Muratalla, 23-0 (17 KOs), was locked into a mandatory title defense once he was elevated to full IBF titlist from his previous interim beltholder status. The unbeaten lightweight from Fontana, California, claimed the secondary version of the belt in a May 12 unanimous decision win over Zaur Abdullaev.
Vasiliy Lomachenko was the primary titlist at the time, though inactive since he claimed the belt in May 2024. A prior ruling by the IBF called for Lomachenko to face the Muratalla-Abdullaev winner by no later than October 2025.
That order was annulled once Lomachenko formally relinquished the belt on June 4 and announced his retirement from the sport.
The development opened a door for Cruz, 6-0 (3 KOs), to enter the title picture. The Olympic gold medalist for Cuba was already set to fight on a June 14 DAZN show in New York City, but Matchroom was able to elevate the stakes and have his bout with Hironori Mishiro sanctioned as a final eliminator.
Cruz won the bout via fifth-round knockout to become the official challenger for Muratalla’s first title defense.
