It is always special when a boxer moves up from his amateur league to take on a professional challenge. It is even more powerful to see the boxer go home with a sound victory. This has been the case for Andy Cruz. The Cuban fighter made his debut in the professional ring earlier to declare beyond a doubt that he has arrived in the big leagues and that he is someone to keep an eye out for.

In a unanimous decision, Cruz took home the vacant IBF title after he entered the ring against Juan Carlos Burgos. It was quite an impressive fight for a debutante pro-boxer. He managed to make some noise and put up his name for the big fights. With Eddie Hearn as his promoter, nothing is impossible.

Andy Cruz talks about his first pro-bout

In an interaction with Matchroom Boxing, the 28-year-old boxer candidly elaborated on his first big win at the pro-boxing arena. As he came out of the ring, riding high on his well-earned title, covered in sweat but with a smile of victory, he spoke vividly about the difference between his previous amateur fights and the professional bout.

The first point of distinction the fighter pointed out was the number of rounds a professional fight usually has. Such fights usually have a significantly higher number of rounds than an amateur fight. For instance, a regular pro-fight hosts about 12 2-minute rounds while an amateur usually has about 3-4 rounds. Cruz said, “The first thing that you notice is that how demanding it is fighting over so many rounds, there are so many other rounds that you have to deal with. It is all about being well prepared.”

Also Read: Shakur Stevenson Reveals His Takeaways From Andy Cruz’s Professional Debut

It’s not just the number of rounds, but also the gloves used in both levels of the fight that make a difference. Given that amateur fights have lesser rounds, the gloves used are usually bigger and heavier. On the other hand, pro-fight gloves are smaller in size and much more difficult to maneuver with. Elaborating on it further, Cruz said, “Obviously as well, you have those really small gloves each time you hit with those small gloves it feels like you’ve been hit with a piece of iron. So that comes from my strong preparation.”

Big fights are probably ahead for Cruz

After having won against Juan Carlos Burgos (35-8-3, 21 KOs) in what seemed like a sweeping victory, Andy Cruz has opened his gates to the big league fights. The judges scored in favor of Cruz. At the end of the fight, the scoresheet looked like 100-90, 100-90, and 98-92. After this victory for his debut pro-fight against someone like Burgos who has 35 wins on his record, the debutante has received immense praise on the internet. And one such admirer is Shakur Stevenson.

Eddie Hearn, his promoter has previously expressed his elaborate plans to get Cruz the big fights that he deserves. Reportedly, for his future fights, names like Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, Shakur Stevenson, and Devin Haney are all under consideration. An impressed Eddie Hearn will go to any extent to get his fighters the best fights possible. And this is something he has already proven in the case of Anthony Joshua.

As the world of boxing welcomes Andy Cruz into the league of professional boxers, we’ll have to wait and see who he will go against next. However, it is time the boxing ring saw someone who disrupts the norm. Will Cruz dominate the ring? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Watch This Story – Tokyo Olympics 2020: Every Gold Medal Win in Boxing