Andy Cruz to face Artur Subkhankulov for vacant IBF lightweight title in Ufa on November 27

The belt is open after Raymond Muratalla gave it up to move up in weight. Subkhankulov is unbeaten and fights in the city where he last won.

Andy Cruz will face Artur Subkhankulov for the vacant IBF lightweight title on November 27 in Ufa, Russia, The Ring announced on Monday.

The IBF ordered the fight in September, matching Subkhankulov (12-0, 6 KOs), its No. 1 contender, with its No. 2-ranked Cruz (7-1, 4 KOs). The title came open when Raymond Muratalla vacated it to move up in weight, and the WBO has since ordered Shakur Stevenson to defend his junior welterweight title against him.

Cruz lost a majority decision to Muratalla on January 24 and had hoped for a rematch. He was then ordered to face Albert Bell in an eliminator on July 18, with the winner getting a mandated shot at Muratalla, but Bell pulled out to fight WBO champion Abdullah Mason.

Subkhankulov, a 34-year-old from Bashkortostan, has won twice this year. His latest win also came in Ufa, a 12th-round stoppage of Bakhodur Usmonov on April 24 in an IBF lightweight eliminator. He told The Ring in August: "I'm ready to fight, whether it's Muratalla or the vacant title doesn't make much difference to me."

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