Lance Pugmire reports that, a week after outbidding Top Rank for the right to stage Raymond Muratalla’s mandatory IBF lightweight title defense against Andy Cruz, Matchroom has booked a January 24th event at Las Vegas’ Fontainebleau to host it.
This is the same working date Mike Coppinger linked to Emanuel Navarrete’s planned unification against Eduardo Nunez, though that proposed show would land in Phoenix. It’s worth noting that that’s yet to be finalized, and if they did go through with two shows
in two locations on the same day, we’ve seen split broadcasts before.
Fingers crossed they don’t make us choose; that could be a doubleheader for the ages.
Muratalla (23-0, 17 KO) will be making his inaugural title defense, having beaten Zaur Abdullaev for the interim belt in May and ascending to proper champion status upon Vasiliy Lomachenko’s retirement. Cuba’s Cruz (6-0, 3 KO) demolished Hironori Mishiro in a final eliminator the following month. It’s a significant step up in class for him, but his impeccable amateur pedigree suggests a higher ceiling than his more-proven foe.
We’ll keep you posted as the show comes together.
