Cruz control: Can Cuban star emulate De La Hoya, Whitaker and Lomachenko with lightweight glory?

Andy Cruz can join an elite band of fighters if he dethrones Raymond Muratalla as IBF lightweight champion this weekend, live on DAZN.

The Cuban is bidding to claim a world title in what will be only his seventh professional bout, after an electrifying rise through the ranks.

Yet for those well-versed in their boxing, Cruz's elevation towards the summit of the sport will come as little surprise given his pedigree.

One of the finest amateur fighters of his generation, he notched up a stunning 140-9 record across his career before he made the pro turn.

That included a trio of world championship gold-medals at light-welterweight - but it is in lightweight where he can repeat famous history.

If Cruz defeats Muratalla in Las Vegas, he will become only the fourth man to claim both Olympic gold and a major strap in the division.

Pernell Whitaker, Oscar De La Hoya and Vasiliy Lomachenko all conquered amateur success before becoming some of the sport's GOATs.

Here, DAZN News compares their amateur and professional success at the Olympic Games and their pursuit of major lightweight glory.

Pernell Whitaker

The Virginia boxer wasn't just the face of the lower divisions for a period - he defined them with his showmanship, guile and superb form.

Bursting into the wider public consciousness in 1984, he defeated Puerto Rico's Luis Ortiz to claim lightweight gold at Los Angeles 1984.

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A first bid for a title fell short against José Luis Ramírez in 1988, but Whitaker took out Greg Haugen a year later to claim the IBF crown.

He subsequently beat Ramirez for the WBC crown six months later, then added the WBA strap the following August against Juan Nazario.

Whitaker would go on to win light-welterweight and welterweight titles too, retiring with a 40-4-1 (1) record in 2001 and plenty of supporters.

He died in 2019 after he was struck by a vehicle, aged just 55, but left behind a legacy as one of the sport's finest American contenders.

Oscar De La Hoya

Eight years after his countryman took gold on home soil, 'The Golden Boy' headed to Spain determined to fulfil his late mother's dream.

De La Hoya did so, earning his moniker as he took lightweight gold at Barcelona 1992 against amateur rival, Germany's Marco Rudolph.

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From there, the star launched himself into one of the most glittering professional careers of his era, initially with super-featherweight glory.

He nabbed his first lightweight title, the vacant WBO belt, with a two-round KO against Jorge Páez in 1994, and the IBF crown a year later.

A move to welterweight actually brought him up against Whitaker, where De La Hoya took the WBC crown from his predecessor on points.

De La Hoya ultimately retired after a 2008 defeat to Manny Pacquiao, finishing with a 39-6 record, and major titles in six different divisions.

Vasiliy Lomachenko

Though not unheard of, it remained unusual for many fighters to remain amateur after reaching the summit of Olympic success with a gold.

But Ukrainian Lomachenko stuck around after featherweight glory at Beijing 2008 to top the podium again at London 2012 for lightweight.

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His success there laid the platform for a three-weight professional career that saw him capture titles in both divisions and super featherweight.

In near-successive bouts, Lomachenko claimed WBA, WBO and WBC titles against Jorge Linares, José Pedraza and Luke Campbell.

He lost a shot for the IBF crown against Teofimo Lopez in 2020, then fell short in an effort to go undisputed against Devin Haney in 2023.

But Lomachenko clocked off with the former belt in his hands after beating George Kambosos Jr. in Perth in 2024, retiring a year later.

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