Muratalla has pushed again on the concept that he tried to keep away from the combat. He has leaned as a substitute on expertise, pointing to an extended skilled profession and a better variety of fights because the distinction between himself and Cruz.
“The expertise that I’ve. I believe that performs an enormous position,” Muratalla stated in an interview with Matchroom Boxing. “My mindset as soon as I enter the ring. It simply clicks for me and connects.”
Cruz enters the combat because the betting favourite. The Cuban standout continues to be early in his skilled profession, however his newbie background continues to outline how opponents and oddsmakers view him. Cruz received gold on the 2020 Olympics and defeated Keyshawn Davis 4 instances within the amateurs, together with within the Olympic last.
Requested straight whether or not he believed Muratalla needed the combat, Cruz was blunt.
“From the outset, I didn’t,” Cruz stated. “They know what they need for his profession. However I got here to take all of it.”
Cruz’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has stated Muratalla had a chance to face Cruz final 12 months however that negotiations stalled over cash. Muratalla then explored a voluntary protection earlier than the IBF stepped in and ordered the obligatory, eradicating that choice.
Muratalla disputes the suggestion that he turned something down.
“I’ve been desirous to get these fights,” Muratalla stated. “I needed to get this belt simply so I might make fights like this occur. I’m undoubtedly heading for this combat, and larger fights after this.”
Cruz, nevertheless, maintains that the sooner talks by no means progressed.
“As a result of I signed the contract to make the combat, and we didn’t get a solution from the opposite facet,” he stated.
Muratalla’s response has been easy.
“I by no means acquired a contract,” he stated. “I by no means acquired one till now.”
With the obligatory lastly in place, the talk over who needed the combat is now not theoretical. It is going to be settled within the ring on January 24.
