Andy Cruz vs Artur Subkhankulov ordered for vacant IBF lightweight title

The IBF has ordered Andy Cruz and Artur Subkhankulov to negotiate for its vacant lightweight title after Raymond Muratalla relinquished the belt last Wednesday. Both fighters have confirmed they are willing to take part, with the parties given until October 7 to reach a deal before the sanctioning body calls a purse bid.

Cesar Seda of Boxeo Urbano Network first reported the order, which puts Cruz back into immediate title contention eight months after his close majority-decision defeat to Muratalla on January 24. Muratalla’s decision to vacate has changed the route for the division’s leading IBF contenders, with Subkhankulov ranked No. 2 and Cruz No. 3 while the No. 1 position is vacant.

The order also revives an IBF path that had already shifted several times for Cruz. Matchroom Boxing won a $298,000 purse bid in May to stage an IBF lightweight title eliminator between Cruz and Albert Bell, with the winner originally due to challenge Muratalla. That fight fell apart when Top Rank paid Matchroom a fee to release Bell from his agreement, allowing Bell to take a title shot against Abdullah Mason instead.

Cruz remained active rather than waiting for another eliminator, stopping replacement Abraham Montoya in the third round on July 19. The win was his first fight since the Muratalla defeat, and it kept him in position for another IBF opportunity despite the collapse of the Bell bout.

Cruz’s promotional position

Negotiations may be complicated by Cruz’s promotional status. The Cuban’s three-year Matchroom deal expired over the summer, leaving him a promotional free agent as this IBF title process begins.

Eddie Hearn has said talks over a new deal remain possible, although he made clear his frustration with how the situation had been handled. Speaking to About Boxing, Hearn said: “[Andy Cruz’s team] come onto me yesterday, day before, and said they want to sit down and do a new contract. Things p*ss me off where someone or a member of the team says, ‘Hey, I’m a free agent now.’ And I go, ‘Good luck mate.’ You back someone, you spend a fortune on them. Andy Cruz, great fighter, not the biggest draw in the world but we’ve really believed in him. … I just got to get over the ego of someone saying those things and we’ll do a new deal, I’m sure.”

Subkhankulov, co-promoted by Australian promoter Peter Maniatis and IBA Pro, reached this point through his April 25 victory over Bakhodur Usmonov. He stopped Usmonov in the 12th round, improved to 12-0 (6 KOs), and handed Usmonov his first professional defeat in what was described as the most impressive win of Subkhankulov’s career.

That result initially appeared to leave Subkhankulov one fight away from challenging Muratalla. After the Usmonov fight, the IBF offered him a mandatory eliminator in Ufa, Russia, planned for November, but the top four available IBF opponents declined, delaying that route and moving him directly into contention once Muratalla vacated.

Cruz also holds the WBC’s No. 1 ranking at lightweight, although he has not been made mandatory for either full champion William Zepeda or interim champion Jadier Herrera. For now, the IBF has provided the clearest title path, provided terms can be agreed with Subkhankulov’s side.

The next step is a negotiation period running to October 7. If no agreement is reached, the IBF will order a purse bid, placing promotional control, venue and the fighters’ respective backing at the centre of the next phase for the vacant lightweight title.