Andy Cruz is getting another route back into the IBF lightweight title picture, but the price Matchroom Boxing paid to secure the fight said plenty about how little demand there was at the purse bid table.
Matchroom won Tuesday’s purse bid for the IBF lightweight eliminator between Cruz (6-1, 3 KOs) and Albert Bell with a modest winning offer of $298,000. Bell, who entered the bout ranked #3 by the IBF, will receive the larger split at 60 percent, while the #4-ranked Cruz takes 40 percent.
The winner will move into mandatory position for IBF lightweight champion Raymond Muratalla (24-0, 17 KOs), who currently has an optional defense before the sanctioning body orders a mandatory title fight in October.
Cruz already shared the ring with Muratalla earlier this year and came up short in a majority decision loss. The IBF still moved the Cuban contender back into position after Lucas Bahdi declined the eliminator opportunity.
The fight gives Cruz another fast track toward a world title despite having only seven professional bouts. The 2020 Olympic gold medalist is still viewed by many as one of the most skilled fighters in the division, though his loss to Muratalla slowed some of the momentum that had followed him since leaving the amateur ranks.
Bell, meanwhile, finally lands the kind of opportunity he has spent years chasing. The Toledo native has remained buried outside the spotlight despite staying highly ranked at lightweight. The 33-year-old kept active in 2025 with decision wins over Josec Ruiz and Keith Hunter while waiting for a meaningful fight to materialize.
Cruz has also mentioned the possibility of eventually moving to 140 pounds, where Ring/WBO junior welterweight champion Shakur Stevenson has been floated as a future target.
At this stage, Cruz remains at lightweight with another direct path opening toward Muratalla and the IBF belt.
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Last Updated on 2026/05/27 at 7:18 PM
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