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2020 Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz (4-0, 2 KOs) is one week away from facing Mexican puncher Omar Salcido (20-1, 14 KOs) in a WBC lightweight title eliminator on January 25, live on DAZN from The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Chelsea Ballroom, Las Vegas.
Cruz-Salcido will fight on the Diego Pacheco card against Steve Nelson, and there’s a good chance they’ll steal the show. There’s also undefeated light welterweight Ernesto Mercado (16-0, 15 KOIs) fighting former two-division world champion Jose ‘Sniper’ Pedraza.
WBC title eliminator
If Andy Cruz gets the win against Salcido, the talented Cuban will be in a position to challenge the WBC lightweight champion. Shakur Stevenson for his title this year. Shakur has bigger plans for this year. He hopes to beat Floyd Schofield on Feb. 22 and then defend against No. 1 William Zepeda if he can’t lure Vasily Lomachenko into the ring.
Finally, fighting Gervonta Davis at the end of the year. Shakur will most likely have to settle for someone else, but probably not Cruz, unless the World Boxing Council gives him no choice.
“my son”
Cruz would also like to face Keyshawn Davis if he can capture the WBO lightweight title next month in his fight against champion Denys Berinchyk on February 14 at Madison Square Garden. Andy is very familiar with Keyshawn, whom he refers to as “my son” having wrestled him four times in the fans, beating him each time in one-sided contests.
Cruz’s victory was so dominant in the 2020 Olympic finals that Keyshawn appeared to lose his mind, celebrating his loss after the fight, seemingly obvious that he had lost the fight. Since Cruz turned pro in 2023, he has called out Keyshawn repeatedly, but to no avail.
The Norfolk, Virginia native doesn’t want to fight Cruz again, and it’s understandable why. It will destroy his career and this cannot be allowed to happen to professionals.
It’s a very different story when you lose in the professional game because it’s permanent and hard to come back unless someone like Turki Al-Sheikh takes an interest in you and is willing to let you go. waste the whole day and still have opportunities for big paydays.
“Yes, this is mandatory for the (WBC),” 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 the time comes, I’m going to approach it differently,” Cruz said of the Shakur fight. “It’s a division with a lot of talent. There are many talented fighters. I’m just focused on myself.
💎 @Andydiamondcruz ready to shine again… @DAZNBixing #CruzSalcido | January 25 | #PachecoNelson pic.twitter.com/aD0UcmWhmq
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) January 17, 2025
