Andy Cruz Still Stuck Despite Call-Out of William Zepeda

Andy Cruz is still looking for a marquee fight after his lone professional loss, and calling out WBC lightweight champion William Zepeda has not moved the needle so far. Cruz dropped a majority decision to Raymond Muratalla in a bout for Muratalla's IBF lightweight title, with scorecards split at 114-114, 116-112 and 118-110. He has since rebounded with a third-round stoppage of Abraham Montoya, pushing his record to 7-1 with four knockouts, but the names at the top of the division have shown no urgency to get in the ring with him.

Why Cruz Can't Get Zepeda To Bite

Cruz publicly called out Zepeda after the Muratalla loss, telling reporters, "William Zepeda. I'm coming for you." The problem is leverage. Zepeda holds the WBC strap and has bigger options in front of him, and nothing about the current landscape forces his hand. Abdullah Mason, the other fighter The Ring ranks at the top of the division, has floated Zepeda and Joe Cordina as his own preferred targets, with a Zepeda fight framed as a unification and a Cordina fight as a credible defense. Cruz's name did not come up in that conversation at all, even though he is the one shouting loudest for Zepeda. Muratalla and Shakur Stevenson have both already moved on from 135 pounds in search of bigger opportunities, which only reinforces the pattern: the champions and top contenders are chasing each other, not Cruz.

The Muratalla Loss Didn't Hurt His Stock, It Just Didn't Help It Either

The Muratalla fight showed Cruz is beatable at the championship level but gave rivals zero reason to feel comfortable sharing a ring with him. Muratalla had to work for all 12 rounds, landing meaningful shots and absorbing sharp counters from Cruz throughout. The Ring's own read on the fight favored Muratalla's pressure while still questioning how lopsided the 118-110 card was. That split is the whole story of Cruz's situation in one line. He lost clearly enough to lose his zero, but not in a way that told anyone he is safe to fight. For promoters and rival camps weighing risk versus reward, that combination, a dangerous but beatable technician with no title and no mainstream pull, isn't an attractive proposition right now.

What Actually Changes This

The path forward for Cruz runs through the IBF's vacant lightweight title, not through persuading Zepeda directly. The IBF has ordered Cruz to face Artur Subkhankulov for the vacant belt Muratalla gave up when he moved on. Winning that title would hand Cruz real negotiating power for the first time, turning a Zepeda fight into an actual unification bout with a second strap on the line instead of just a style clash nobody asked for. Until that happens, Cruz is stuck making call-outs that cost him nothing and gain him just as little.

Betting Angle

There is no fixed Cruz-Zepeda or Cruz-Subkhankulov market to point to yet, but directionally this is worth watching for value once the Subkhankulov fight is official. Cruz's technical skill set, the footwork and counter-punching that made him a problem for Muratalla over 12 rounds, should make him a live favorite in most sportsbooks' eyes against a mandatory-level opponent, even coming off a loss. The bigger betting interest is further down the road. If Cruz wins the vacant IBF belt and a Zepeda unification actually materializes, expect that line to open competitive given Zepeda's power and activity at the top of the division, rather than lopsided either way.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened to Andy Cruz's undefeated record?

Andy Cruz lost his first professional fight by majority decision to Raymond Muratalla, who retained his IBF lightweight title with scorecards of 114-114, 116-112 and 118-110.

Who has Andy Cruz called out after his loss to Raymond Muratalla?

Andy Cruz called out WBC lightweight champion William Zepeda, telling reporters, 'William Zepeda. I'm coming for you,' though no fight between them has been arranged.

What is next for Andy Cruz in the lightweight division?

The IBF has ordered Andy Cruz to fight Artur Subkhankulov for the vacant lightweight title that Raymond Muratalla gave up after moving up in weight.