Andy Cruz faces Albert Bell in IBF lightweight eliminator

Andy Cruz will face Albert Bell in an IBF lightweight eliminator on July 18 at Dignity Health Sports Park in California, Bad Left Hook reports.

The sanctioning body ordered the matchup in February, less than a month after Cruz dropped a decision to Raymond Muratalla in an IBF title fight. Cruz holds a 6-1 record with three knockouts, and the 30-year-old Cuban remains a promotional priority despite the setback. The eliminator streams live on DAZN as part of a Matchroom card headlined by Diego Pacheco against Immanuwel Aleem at middleweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">super middleweight.

Bell's return after Top Rank split

Bell brings an unblemished 28-0 mark with nine knockouts into the bout, though his profile has dimmed since he parted ways with Top Rank in 2021. The 33-year-old from Toledo has stayed active, fighting mostly in Ohio and Georgia, but his defensive style has made him a tough sell for promoters looking to build cards around ticket movers. According to the report, Bell knows how to frustrate opponents in the ring, and his ability to nick rounds with awkward angles has left him in the familiar position of being avoided despite deserving bigger opportunities.

The winner moves into mandatory position for the IBF lightweight strap. Cruz looks to erase the Muratalla loss and reclaim his status as a top contender, while Bell aims to break through in his first major assignment in nearly five years.

Reported via:

• Bad Left Hook — Andy Cruz vs Albert Bell eliminator set for July