A compelling story is being told in the heart-pounding world of professional boxing, where every punch and hook carries the weight of hopes and dreams. On the undercard of Berlanga vs. McCrory, Andy Cruz, the highly anticipated 2020 Olympic gold medalist and rising lightweight star, is scheduled to enter the ring against Brayan Zamarripa.
But under all the excitement surrounding this confrontation, there is a legal storm. Cruz is embroiled in a convoluted legal battle against Matchroom Boxing and New Champions Promotions, LLC, while his career is soaring. His forthcoming fight in Orlando is made even more intriguing by the drama surrounding his off-ring conflicts.
Andy Cruz scheduled to fight Brayan Zamarripa
Unexpectedly, despite being embroiled in a legal battle, rising lightweight sensation Andy Cruz, the 2020 Olympic Gold Medallist, is preparing for a speedy comeback to the ring. Cruz is scheduled to fight Mexico’s Brayan Zamarripa in a ten-round match as the main attraction of the DAZN event on February 24 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.
Cruz’s professional career began on July 15 in Detroit, Michigan, with a victorious ten-round unanimous decision over former title challenger Juan Carlos Burgos. With a stunning third-round knockout of the seasoned Jovanni Straffon on the December 9 Devin Haney-Regis Prograis DAZN Pay-Per-View undercard at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California, the Miami-based fighter continued his ascent in his most recent bout.
Cruz, who famously defeated Keyshawn Davis in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medal round before signing with Matchroom in May, is still on the fast track to success. Cruz is unfazed by the legal drama surrounding him and is eager to demonstrate his abilities in his newly adopted home state of Florida.
It’s no easy feat to take on Cruz in the ring, but Brayan Zamarripa (14-2, 5KOs) is up to the challenge. With 16 professional fights under his belt, the 26-year-old southpaw from Baja California, Mexico, has an outstanding record and has never been stopped or dropped.
After losing by a narrow split decision to his countryman Angel Fierro on September 15 in Tijuana, Zamarripa’s winning run of ten fights came to an end. On December 16, in his hometown of Ensenada, the resolute Mexican made a comeback with a knockout in the eighth round.
Why did Andy Cruz file lawsuit against New Champions Promotions?
But the impending bout in the ring isn’t the only thing on the boxing world’s mind. The legal drama playing out in the background has me enthralled. The lawsuit that Cruz filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California is directed towards New Champions Promotions, LLC and its president, Jesse Rodriguez, alleging several transgressions. These include the following: conversion, account, declaratory relief, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, breach of good faith and fair dealing, and violation of the Ali Act.
Gregory Smith, Cruz’s legal representative, emphasized, “Despite having only participated in two professional boxing matches, Cruz is acknowledged as one of the best boxers in the world at his division.” The complaint outlines the alleged misuse of Cruz’s funds by New Champions Promotions and Rodriguez, claiming a breach of trust and violation of the law.
Cruz is requesting a jury trial to obtain justice and relief for damages that exceed $100,000. Despite being mentioned in the lawsuit, Matchroom Boxing is mainly charged with being Cruz’s co-promoter rather than being accused of any wrongdoing. The complaint also lists unidentified defendants (DOES 1–25), whose identities should become clear as the case progresses.
There have been claims that Rodriguez and his business deceived Cruz after he defected from Cuba by signing him under the guise of promoting his fights. Rather, in May, he was forced to sign a co-promotional contract with Matchroom. According to the complaint, Rodriguez and NCP improperly kept more than $100,000 of Matchroom’s payment, even though there is no legal foundation for these allegations.
The boxing community is excited about the outcome of the legal saga and about the highly anticipated bout between Andy Cruz and Brayan Zamarripa on the undercard of Berlanga-McCrory. A night of big stakes and fierce competition is promised in Orlando with the combination of legal drama and in-ring action.
