Andy Cruz has aligned himself with one of boxing’s most respected deal brokers, adding 2022 BWAA Manager of the Year award winner Peter Kahn to his team.
Kahn, the head of Fight Game Advisors, will join Cruz’s collective in a co-managerial role to support the fighter’s existing management and advisement duo consisting of Yolfri Sanchez and Alexey Ferrer.
The lightweight phenom Cruz (4-0, 2 KOs) is a 29-year-old from Cuba and a 2020 Olympics gold medalist promoted by Matchroom Boxing who is coming off a seventh-round knockout of Antonio Moran earlier this month on the undercard of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card in Los Angeles.
“Yolfri and Alexey have been with Andy since day one, and these are the guys who have gotten him to where he is right now,” Kahn told BoxingScene.
“What makes a great team is understanding where there could be an opening to strengthen the team. They are great guys, with no egos, who are focused and have welcomed me in. That kind of selflessness to strengthen the team shows maturity and that they want what’s best for Andy. I’m excited to tap into my experience to take Andy to the next level. I’ll interface with Matchroom a lot to make sure their strategy is aligned with ours, that there is a plan in place, and make sure Andy is receiving proper market value and compensation.”
Kahn expects Cruz to return for a fight before the end of the year.
The amateur standout Cruz made his pro debut in July 2023 and appears ready to be fast-tracked to a world title shot. He currently lives in Tampa, Florida, and trains in Philadelphia with Bozy Ennis, the father and coach of IBF welterweight titleholder Jaron Ennis.
“I already think that Andy is a main event-caliber fighter – we’ll see where it makes sense in Matchoom’s lineup,” said Kahn.
“Andy is an elite athlete. His boxing IQ is through the roof. I do not doubt that Andy is going to be a world champion – it’s just a matter of when. He needs to fight the right people to get the big fights to come to fruition. We’re looking forward to developing him more as a pro and getting him the right dance partners in the lightweight division over the next 18 months.”
Kahn is a 30-year veteran boxing executive who got his start in the sport working operations for Don King in the 1990s. The Florida Boxing Hall of Fame inductee currently manages the likes of Xander Zayas, Yankiel Rivera, Henry LeBron, Franchon Crews-Dezurn, Isaac Dogboe and Charlie Sheehy.
Kahn previously represented former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr., presenting the Australian with career-defining fights against Teofimo Lopez Jr. and Devin Haney before they split.
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.