Andy Cruz harbors a grudge against Keyshawn Davis. The loss to Raymond Muratalla has left the Olympic gold medalist at a critical stage in his career. As he turns 31 this year, the Cuban must rebuild his position by working through ranked contenders before earning another title shot. A matchup against Davis could have accelerated that climb. But it never came together.

Cruz believes all Keyshawn Davis does is talk. There were discussions about extending their rivalry, which dates back to their amateur days, into the professional ranks. Nothing materialized. What frustrates the Cuban is that Davis continues to publicly entertain the idea of a bout. To Cruz, the talk carries little weight. During a recent interview, Fight Hub TV’s Marcus Hayes asked about the matchup, particularly now that neither fighter holds a belt. According to Cruz, while Davis says he wants the fight, he does not take the necessary steps to make it happen.

“No, really, my son (Davis) doesn’t want anything to do with me, and I’m letting him just enjoy his career on his own,” Cruz said through a translator. “He has always talked about me, but he will always have excuses for not fighting me.

His comments likely follow the remarks Keyshawn Davis made after he lost the title fight to Muratalla. Taking subtle jabs at Cruz, Davis said he needs to treat the loss as a “lesson” that should help him put his career back on track.

While discussing a possible fight between them, Davis explained that ahead of his homecoming bout against Gustavo Lemos, he reached out to Eddie Hearn, who promotes Cruz, about making the matchup. The request, he said, was declined.

“I reached out to him already. You know what I’m saying? And then I got Lemos. You know what I’m saying? So I wish people give me credit for that,” Davis said. “Like, I actually tried to fight this guy. The very first time I had a chance to ask for an opponent.”

Their rivalry traces back to the Olympics. At the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games, Cruz defeated Davis to win lightweight gold.

The Andy Cruz – Keyshawn Davis saga: Where does it go from here?

Since turning professional, however, their paths have unfolded differently. Davis debuted in 2021 and quickly climbed the ranks. Last February, he captured his first world title by knocking out Denys Berinchyk for the WBO lightweight belt. Although he later lost the title after missing weight, he rebounded and now sits among the top contenders at light welterweight.

Cruz, by comparison, has progressed more gradually. Since debuting in 2023, he has fought just seven times.

That gap in professional experience has become a recurring argument from Davis and a key obstacle in negotiations. From his perspective, Cruz needs a resume that aligns more closely with his own before the fight makes business sense.

Meanwhile, Davis has redirected his attention elsewhere. He recently engaged in a tense exchange with lightweight champion Abdullah Mason at the Top Rank-DAZN press conference. He has also called out welterweight champion Devin Haney, signaling interest in other high-profile matchups.

For Cruz, the road forward may require flexibility. Both his promoter, Eddie Hearn, and Raymond Muratalla have suggested that 130 pounds could be a more suitable division, noting that he may be undersized at lightweight.

If he chooses to remain at 135 pounds, his options may depend on developments surrounding the vacant WBC title. With Jadier Herrera holding the interim belt, the WBC has ordered top contenders William Zepeda and Lamont Roach Jr. to fight for the vacant championship. Once that situation is resolved, Cruz could position himself to challenge the winner.

A fight between rivals always carries intrigue. But when one fighter advances more quickly in the professional ranks, timing and leverage shift. That dynamic may ultimately explain the hesitation surrounding Cruz versus Davis.