Muratalla pushed forward throughout the fight, working his body and staying lively, while Cruz relied on movement, timing and counter-punching. The rounds were largely competitive, with neither competitor scoring a knockdown. Muratalla finished the fight by picking up the pace, especially in the later rounds, which seemed to have an impact on the outcome.
Cruz, the 2020 Olympic gold medalist, was fighting just his seventh professional fight.
Khalil Coe wins a disputed decision over Jesse Hart
In the main support, Khalil Coe won a ten-round majority decision over former title challenger Jesse Hart in a featherlight heavyweight fight.
Coe entered the fight overweight, which meant his WBC USA title was not at risk. The judges scored the fight 94:94, 95:93 and 96:92 for Coe. Judge Thomas Taylor officiated.
Hart had early success and finished several rounds well, while Coe landed stronger shots in the breaks. Both fighters had a point deducted during the fight for infractions.
Israil Madrimov defeats Luis Salazar
Former world champion Israil Madrimov defeated Luis Salazar via ten-round unanimous decision in a middleweight fight.
All three judges scored the fight 99, 91. Judge Allen Huggins was in charge.
Madrimov controlled most of the action, changing positions at times and applying constant pressure. Salazar had brief moments of success, but was largely outworked in the distance.
Zaquin Moses scores a knockdown for the decision win
Prospective lightweight Zaquin Moses defeated Leandro Medina over six rounds, scoring a knockdown along the way.
Moses dropped Medina in the third round with a right hand. The judges scored the fight 60:53. Judge Thomas Taylor officiated.
Omari Jones stops Jerome Baxter once, wins by decision
Omari Jones remained undefeated following a six-round unanimous decision over Jerome Baxter in a super welterweight fight.
Jones scored a knockdown and controlled the action throughout. The judges awarded the score 60–53. The fight was supervised by referee Robert Hoyle.
Event information
Ring announcer: David Diamante
Location: Fontainebleau Las Vegas
Organizer: Matchroom Boxing
Ken Hissner is an experienced boxing journalist with over 20 years of experience covering the world fight scene. As a senior writer at Boxing News 24, he is well known throughout the boxing community for his in-depth performance coverage, in-depth historical facts and in-ring coverage of major events. His long-term perspective and encyclopedic knowledge of the sport make him one of the most trusted voices in boxing journalism today.