Andy Cruz, a rising star in lightweight boxing, wants to spar with Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger. The Cuban boxer's challenge follows a similar one made by UFC fighter Ilia Topuria.
Cruz, an Olympic champion and three-time amateur world champion, recently knocked out Hironori Mishiro. He's now on the verge of an IBF world crown fight with Raymond Muratalla. But it's not just his boxing career that's got people talking.
In a recent interview with DAZN, Cruz expressed his desire to step into the ring with Rudiger.
"My friends have told me that we look alike, so I would like to have a sparring session with him,"Cruz said.
This challenge comes after UFC fighter Ilia Topuria joked about fighting Rudiger. Topuria had said, "Even if they beat me, I would go for Rudiger first, he won't get out alive, I'm telling you." Topuria's comment was in response to Rudiger's claim that he could beat the UFC fighter with three teammates.
Cruz, a big Real Madrid fan, didn't stop at challenging Rudiger. He compared Real Madrid's boxing style to Muhammad Ali's and said he'd pick Federico Valverde to train as a boxer. If he were to fight wearing a player's shirt, he'd choose Vinicius's.
The Cuban boxer's admiration for Real Madrid runs deep. He idolizes Cristiano Ronaldo and admires Jude Bellingham.
"He is my idol, he has always inspired me, because despite the difficulties, through preparation and effort, he has achieved everything,"Cruz said about Ronaldo.
About Bellingham, he added,
"Now I also look at Bellingham, I can't believe how old he is, he shows a lot of maturity both on and off the field."
Cruz dreams of seeing a Madrid match at the Bernabeu, preferably a Champions League game. His love for the club puts him in good company, joining other notable fans like Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Joel Embiid, Carlos Sainz, and Luka Doncic.
Cruz started his professional career in June 2022 and remains unbeaten. Experts see him as a strong candidate to dominate the lightweight division. Whether he'll get his wish to spar with Rudiger remains to be seen, but one thing's for sure - Andy Cruz is making waves both in and out of the ring.
