In a stunning turn of events, promoter Eddie Hearn openly admitted that his own fighter, Andy Cruz, didn’t do enough to secure the win against IBF lightweight champion Raymond Muratalla on Saturday night at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. But here’s where it gets controversial: while many expected Hearn to defend his fighter, he instead sided with the consensus that Muratalla narrowly edged out the victory—a move that’s sure to spark debate among boxing fans.
Hearn revealed he scored the fight in Muratalla’s favor by two rounds, specifically giving him the 12th round. However, he didn’t hold back in criticizing one judge’s scorecard, which absurdly favored Muratalla 10-2. ‘That score was bizarre,’ Hearn remarked, echoing the sentiments of countless fans who felt the fight was far closer than that lopsided tally suggested. The other two scorecards—114-114 and 116-112—painted a more realistic picture of the bout, though even those raised eyebrows.
And this is the part most people miss: despite Muratalla’s aggression, Cruz actually landed more punches. According to CompuBox, Cruz connected on 176 of 537 punches (33%), while Muratalla landed 175 of 611 (29%). So, when Hearn suggests Muratalla’s ‘output’ won him the fight, it raises questions. Was it really about volume, or was it Muratalla’s size and power that tipped the scales? Hearn himself hinted at the latter, noting Muratalla’s physical dominance: ‘He looked a division apart from Cruz,’ he said, a point that’s hard to argue against.
But let’s dig deeper. Cruz, in just his sixth professional fight, may have lacked the championship experience needed to close the gap. Hearn acknowledged this, suggesting Cruz’s inexperience might have cost him. Still, it’s unusual for a promoter to be so candid about their fighter’s shortcomings. Is Hearn’s honesty refreshing, or is he abandoning Cruz too soon? That’s a question worth discussing.
Here’s where it gets even more intriguing: Hearn praised Muratalla’s performance, calling him ‘very strong, very big at the weight,’ but also hinted that Cruz needs to step up his game—possibly even change coaches—to address his lack of aggression. Could this be a subtle way of pushing Cruz to evolve, or is Hearn already looking ahead to Muratalla’s next challenger?
Muratalla, now 23-0, has undoubtedly boosted his stock, but the fight’s scoring controversy leaves a lingering question: how much did size and power overshadow skill and precision? And for Cruz, is this a setback or a learning curve? One thing’s for sure: this fight has left fans and analysts alike divided. What’s your take? Did Muratalla truly deserve the win, or was Cruz robbed by questionable judging? Let’s hear it in the comments!
