Undefeated lightweight contender Raymond “Danger” Muratalla (21-0, 16 KOs) rallied to score a 10-round unanimous decision over former world champion Tevin Farmer (33-6-1, 8 KOs) on Saturday night at the Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Muratalla’s victory — by scores of 97-92, 96-93, 95-94 — sets the stage for a potential title shot.
Muratalla, 27, of Fontana, California, poured on the pressure at the beginning. He controlled the pace behind his stiff jab and followed up with hard shots to the body in an attempt to dwindle Farmer’s gas tank. However, Farmer stayed busy and effective, outlanding Muratalla 9 to 7 in the first round.
Farmer, a former junior lightweight world champion, invested in the body in the second round, backing up Muratalla with a pair of left hands. Muratalla, on the other hand, also caught many of them with his gloves. With approximately 35 seconds remaining, Farmer connected with a sweet left to the body, making Muratalla miss with the counter right hand.
Muratalla connected with a solid left hand that got Farmer’s attention in the third round. Farmer also knocked Muratalla back on his feet with a left with 45 seconds to go before Muratalla tied up. Farmer used his slick southpaw jab to keep Muratalla at bay in the fourth frame, offsetting Muratalla’s forward movement.
The chess match continued in round five but not before some close-quarter roughhousing, which led to warnings issued to both fighters by referee Thomas Taylor. The third man in the ring spent much of the round yelling at both fighters to let go of one another’s arms.
In between rounds, Robert Garcia, Muratalla’s trainer, urged his pupil to target the body. Muratalla adjusted accordingly, connecting with a left hand downstairs to begin the sixth round. But Muratalla failed to keep up the momentum, allowing Farmer to outbox him from range and back him up repeatedly with left hands. Muratalla connected with a slew of left-right combinations in the seventh round that forced Farmer to tie up.
The turning point came in the eighth round. Although Taylor had previously warned both fighters for excessive holding, Farmer was docked a point. Muratalla used it as an opportunity to outwork Farmer down the stretch, outmuscling and out-punching his adversary with thunderous body shots and uppercuts. In round ten, Muratalla looped a right hand around the guard of a fatigued Farmer and rocked him, sealing a win that could land him a fight against a world titleholder.
MURATALLA IN THE FINAL ROUND 🎯 pic.twitter.com/8YwtrJ5lEc
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) July 14, 2024
Muratalla is the number two ranked contender with the WBC and WBO, while he’s listed number four by the IBF. It’s possible he could face WBO 135-pound titlist Denys Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs), 36, of Ukraine, who upset and dominated Emanuel Navarrete to win the belt in May.
Undercard Results
Sulaiman Segawa (17-4-1, 6 KOs) UD 10 Ruben Villa (22-2, 7 KOs)
Junior welterweights: Charlie Sheehy (10-0, 5 KOs) UD 8 Ricardo Quiroz (13-5, 7 KOs)
Welterweights: Art Barrera Jr. (6-0, 4 KOs) UD 6 over Javier Mayoral (6-6, 1 KO).
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