2020 Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz turns 30 today, and still doesn\u2019t have a fight scheduled for his next contest.<\/p>\n
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn needs to speed up the career of Andy Cruz and give him the same fast-track movement that we\u2019re seeing for less talented fighters at 135 and in other divisions. Cruz isn\u2019t being given the same golden path royalty treatment<\/strong> that we\u2019re seeing Hearn provide for the painfully boring to watch Shakur Stevenson.<\/p>\n Comparing Cruz\u2019s and Stevenson\u2019s Paths<\/strong><\/p>\n Andy should be getting the big fights handed to him that less entertaining fighters like Shakur Stevenson are routinely provided by Hearn. He signed Cruz to Matchroom in 2023, and he\u2019s lagging behind what has been done for Shakur since he inked with Hearn in 2024. Why is that?<\/p>\n Cruz (6-0, 3 KO) last fought on June 14th, knocking out Hironori Mishiro in the fifth round in an IBF lightweight title eliminator. He had hoped to immediately challenge for a world title against the recently elevated IBF 135-lb champion Raymond Muratalla, but he\u2019s reportedly making a voluntary defense in his next fight.<\/p>\n There were reports of Cruz possibly facing William Zepeda in November in Saudi Arabia. However, Cruz\u2019s promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom, hasn\u2019t said anything about pursuing that fight.<\/p>\n If it were to happen, it would allow fans to compare Cruz\u2019s performance against the volume puncher Zepeda (33-1, 27 KOs) to Shakur Stevenson, who had a massive problem defeating him on Turki Alalshikh\u2019s July 12th card on DAZN PPV<\/a> in Queens, New York.<\/p>\n Andy Cruz\u2019s 30th Birthday and Future<\/strong><\/p>\n Happy birthday to The Diamond, @Andydiamondcruz<\/a> \ud83d\udc8e pic.twitter.com\/L6E2pyaEAX<\/a><\/p>\n\n