Cruz begins his career with a solid reputation built largely on his amateur career, including winning an Olympic gold medal. Garcia doesn’t underestimate the skill level. I question how these skills hold up once the fight gets deep.
“Andy Cruz is a very talented fighter with great skills,” Garcia said in an interview Xicana boxing. “But a three-round fight and a twelve-round fight is a huge difference.”
Since turning professional, Cruz has gone ten rounds twice. Garcia sees it as useful exposure, but not preparation for a full championship distance against a pressure fighter who doesn’t like to work behind schedule. Garcia said Muratalla was developed with these missiles in mind.
The betting market considered Cruz the favorite, which Garcia clearly noticed. He suggested that Cruz’s confidence comes from his reputation, rather than proof of his ability to cope with the steady pace of work.
“If this experience really mattered to the bookmakers, Raymond wouldn’t be the underdog,” Garcia said. “Twelve rounds against a solid champion is not the same.”
Garcia has been outspoken about Muratalla’s ceiling since he took it on. He said this fight was more of a measuring stick moment than a coronation.
“When I started working with him, I said he was going to be one of my stars,” Garcia said. “He’s the world champion now. This fight will show who he really is.”
This certainty is not without risk. Muratalla’s resume at the elite level is still modest. His most notable fight took place in 2024 against Tevin Farmer, where he won a close to ten-round decision. Farmer’s movement and timing confined Muratalla’s long-range attack and forced him to break down resistance rather than overwhelm it.
This fight raised questions about how Muratalla deals with fighters who can neutralize power without losing control. Cruz brings a different set of problems, built on speed and positioning rather than survival.
In the second round of the fight, Israil Madrimov will face Luis David Salazar. The card will be streamed on DAZN.
Garcia’s argument is straightforward. Skills are one thing. The next twelve rounds at world level. Cruz can prove he can handle it. Until he does, Garcia sees it as the difference in the fight.