Cuban Olympic champion Cruz on pro debut: 'The timing is perfect'
Heralded amateur hits paid ranks in the co-feature of Matchroom Boxing's Baumgardner-Linardatou event
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Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn said that someday he may look back on the signing of heralded Cuban star amateur Andy Cruz as his greatest signing and that he “would bet on Andy to beat any 135-pounder on the planet now.”
Those are lofty words from Hearn and now the proving time begins for Cruz, 28, a 2020 Olympic gold medalist and one of the most decorated amateur boxers of recent times.
Earlier this year, Cruz escaped Cuba, signed with Matchroom Boxing and will make his professional debut against former featherweight and junior lightweight world title challenger Juan Carlos Burgos in the 10-round lightweight co-feature of undisputed women’s junior lightweight champion Alycia Baumgardner’s homecoming defense in a rematch with Christina Linardatou on Saturday (DAZN, 8 p.m. ET) at The Masonic Temple in Detroit.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time, and since I’m here, I want to take advantage of it,” Cruz said. “It feels spectacular to be back in the ring. A few years ago, I’d never thought this could happen. I had other projects in my life, but well, life, everything happens for a reason, and today here I am.”
Among Cruz’s other amateur accolades: three consecutive light welterweight gold medals at the World Amateur Championships (2017, 2019, 2021) and gold medals at the Pan American Games (bantamweight in 2015, light welterweight 2019).
He defeated 2021 Fight Freaks Unite prospect of the year Keyshawn Davis four times in the amateur ranks, including in the Olympic final. In December, Davis won a shutout eight-round decision over Burgos (35-7-3, 21 KOs), 35, of Mexico.
“After everything that has happened, the timing is perfect. In life, everything happens for a reason, and I am going to make it all worthwhile. I can’t wait for Saturday night. It’s going to be brilliant; a tough fight to start with but I’m excited for that.”
He said his mother did not want him to box but when he insisted, he had to promise her something.
“It was that if she let me be a boxer, I was going to be Olympic champion and win all the tournaments that came my way. That is how I convinced her, that I was never going to lose,” Cruz said. “To achieve that dream of winning Olympic gold, I was firstly keeping my promise to my mum. I celebrated with my family and friends, and then I was in the World Championships. And I started to think different things and wanted new challenges in my life.”
Ultimately, Cruz said he left Cuba to pursue a pro career because of the money.
“Cuba is different. The tournaments there aren’t good economically. It was frustrating,” he said. “One of the big reasons to get into boxing was to take care of my family, to be able to guarantee a better future for me and my children.
“I had already won all the titles, and I wasn’t able to accomplish everything that I wanted to have my family be as comfortable as I needed or guarantee that future, and that’s when I realized I had to change. Being away from my son is one of the hardest things that has ever happened to me. This is one of the best stages of life, watching your child growing up, and I’m not getting that opportunity.
“It’s been many months since I saw my son, maybe six months. It’s not clear to me when I will see him against, but I am working on it, to see him as soon as possible. I want to see him, but I cannot as I’ve only just arrived in America. Now, I am focused on my sport, in making history here, but I do think at some point I may need to go back to Cuba to see my son or try to move here with him.”
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Cruz photo: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing
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