Does The Ring's No. 5-rated lightweight contender continue making a run in the crowded weight class? Or does he step down a division and make a name for himself at 130 pounds?

After easily stopping Abraham Montoya on Saturday in three rounds, Cruz (7-1, 4 KOs) said he's also ready to campaign as a junior lightweight.

"Watch out 130 – I'm ready for more challenges. It's showtime," Cruz announced to the world during his post-fight remarks. "I like challenges, and tonight was just that. My last fight didn't go my way, but I was able to demonstrate what I have this time."

"Diamante" Cruz, a 30-year-old Olympic gold medalist from Cuba, got back into the win column after suffering the first loss of his professional career in January during a title shot against IBF lightweight champion Raymond Muratalla.

Cruz was supposed to face Albert Bell in an IBF title eliminator instead of Montoya, but Bell became unavailable once he was pulled as a replacement opponent for WBO lightweight champion Abdullah Mason in a losing effort earlier this month.

If Cruz were to fight at 130 pounds, he'd surely have his eyes on the top of the totem pole, which features titleholders Emanuel Navarrete (IBF, WBO), O'Shaquie Foster (WBC), and Anthony Cacace (WBA).

At 135 pounds, the title-ready Cruz will be forced to trust the process while remaining on the outside of the championship picture looking in at three of the belts.

Two of the lightweight titles will be at stake on August 1 when Lamont Roach Jr. and William Zepeda square off for the vacant WBC championship, while the Cruz-conqueror Muratalla defends his belt against Robson Conceicao. The expectation is that the winners of each fight will square off against one another in a title unification in their next fights. On the WBA side of things, Floyd Schofield and Lucas Bahdi appear headed to a fight for the vacant title.

"Truthfully, the No. 1 thing on my list is to get the rematch against Muratalla," Cruz separately told The Ring.

"I can beat Mason. I can beat whoever isn't Mason. I think Mason is a great fighter with a bright future. The only question is when the fight will happen.

"I think the fights on August 1 are going to be great as well. I see Muratalla coming out victorious. Zepeda and Roach will be an even more interesting fight, but I have to give Roach more of the edge."

Outside of the usual suspects across 130 and 135 pounds, Cruz is also open to stepping up to the plate with hopes of crushing a curveball that is Vasiliy Lomachenko. The 38-year-old Lomachenko appears ready to come out of retirement and immediately step into a stiff test upon his return to the ring.

"Before fighting Muratalla, thinking of a fight against Lomachenko was only a dream," Cruz said. "We both have similar stories with our amateur success. Lomachenko will always be a legend."