Eddie Hearn caused something of a shock last weekend when he unveiled the latest signing to his Matchroom stable with Andy Cruz.
The Cuban sensation, one of the best amateur boxers of the modern era, highlighted his professional ambitions by joining Hearn and it appears that the decorated star will be fast-tracked towards big fights immediately.
Set to campaign at 135lbs, perhaps the most stacked division in boxing, Cruz won’t be short of potential rivals once his paid career gets underway.
With the division boasting names such as Devin Haney, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and Gervonta Davis, Hearn is more than prepared to advance Cruz up the rankings quickly and he believes his latest acquisition could score big wins right away.
“I think he’ll box two or three times this year,” said Hearn when discussing Cruz’s future with Boxing News. “Four, five, six fights max before he fights for a world title. He can beat those guys now, honestly.
“I would put him in with Tank now and I rate these guys unbelievably. It’s so good to have a talent that you know can mix it with them and it’s going to be a special journey.”