2020 Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz (4-0, 2 KOs) is one week away from facing Mexican skater Omar Salcid (20-1, 14 KOs) in a WBC lightweight title eliminator on January 25th, live on DAZN- in from The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Chelsea Ballroom, Las Vegas.
Cruz-Salcido will fight on the undercard of Diego Pacheco vs. Steve Nelson, and there’s a good chance he’ll steal the show. Also on the card is undefeated light heavyweight Ernesto Mercado (16-0, 15 KOIs) who takes on former two-division world champion Jose ‘Sniper’ Pedraza.
WBC Title Eliminator
If Andy Cruz defeats Salcido, the talented Cuban will be in position to challenge the WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson for this year’s title. Shakur has bigger plans for this year. He hopes to defeat Floyd Schofield on February 22 and then defend against #1 William Zepeda if he fails to lure Vasiliy Lomachenko into the ring.
On top of that, a fight against Gervonta Davis at the end of the year. It’s more likely that Shakur will have to settle for someone else, but probably not Cruz unless the World Boxing Council gives him a choice.
“my son”
Cruz would also like to face Keyshawn Davis if he can win the WBO lightweight title next month when he fights champion Denys Berinchyk on February 14 at Madison Square Garden. Andy is very familiar with Keyshawn, whom he refers to as “my son” as he has fought him four times in amateur competition, defeating him each time in one-sided contests.
Cruz’s victory was so dominant in the 2020 Olympic finals that Keyshawn seemed to lose his mind, celebrating his defeat after the fight, seemingly obviously losing the fight. Since Cruz turned pro in 2023, he has repeatedly called out Keyshawn, but to no avail.
The Norfolk, Virginia native doesn’t want to take part in the fight against Cruz anymore, and it’s understandable why. He’ll ruin his career, and he can’t let that happen in the pros.
It’s a much different story when you lose in the professional game because it’s permanent and it’s hard to come back unless someone like Turki Al-Sheikh takes an interest in you and is willing to let you. lose day and night and keep getting big payout opportunities.
“Yes, this is for [WBC] mandatory,” Andy Cruz told YSM Sports Media when asked if his fight against Omar Salcido is a WBC lightweight title eliminator on Jan. 25 to determine the next mandatory challenger for champion Shakur Stevenson.
“When that time comes, I’m going to take a different approach,” Cruz said of the Shakur fight. “It’s a division with a lot of talent. There are a lot of fighters with talent. I’m just focused on myself.
💎 @Andydiamondcruz ready to shine again… @DAZNBoks #CruzSalcido | January 25 | #PachecoNelson pic.twitter.com/aD0UcmWhmq
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) January 17, 2025
