Jeremia Nakathila (L) and Raymond Muratalla (R) alternate punches – Photograph by Mikey Williams/Prime Rank Inc by way of Getty Pictures)
Onwards and upwards, that’s the goal for light-weight contender Raymond Muratalla on Saturday.
Muratalla, rated at No. 6 by The Ring at light-weight, will face former IBF junior light-weight titlist Tevin Farmer in a scheduled 10-round contest at Palms On line casino Resort, Las Vegas, within the undercard of the Janibek Alimkhanuly-Andrei Mikhailovich middleweight title bout.
“I believe it’s going to be a superb struggle,” Muratalla (20-0, 16 knockouts) instructed The Ring. “We’ve seen him earlier than and he’s a superb boxer, he strikes properly, punches properly.
“I simply assume I’m on one other degree proper now. I’m too large, I’m too robust, I’m quick, I believe my ring IQ goes to be an excessive amount of for him that evening. I believe it’s going to indicate, he’s by no means confronted a fighter like me and I believe we’re going to see that July 13.”
Whereas Farmer might properly show to be a tough buyer, somebody who might make the highly effective Muratalla miss at instances, the 27-year-old Californian believes it’s the logical step to assist put together him for the likes of stablemate and WBC beltholder Shakur Stevenson and WBC junior welterweight boss Devin Haney additional down the highway.
“Precisely, that’s what we would like – it’s excellent for me,” he stated. “I believe it’s going to be nice simply to indicate the followers {that a} completely different type doesn’t imply something to me as a result of I’m in a position to adapt to completely different types. It’s going to be a terrific one. I can’t wait to indicate a special type that I can deliver in opposition to a fighter like that.”
Muratalla, who’s educated by Robert Garcia in Riverside, California, is coming off a reasonably dominant although not spectacular 10-round unanimous resolution win over wily South African fringe contender Xolisani Ndongeni in March.
“That was a nasty efficiency on my finish,” he stated earlier than explaining. “To be trustworthy with you, I wasn’t feeling properly for that struggle. I had numerous abdomen issues the entire week main as much as it and it confirmed throughout the struggle. I didn’t have my energy like I used to, my pace, my rhythm felt off.”
Nonetheless, he takes the optimistic out of that struggle. “Every struggle there may be all the time one thing you may be taught from that. Going the 10-rounds [for the first time] is expertise.”
He had one eye on the aforementioned Stevenson, who bested Artem Harutyunyan final weekend. However he believes that whereas that struggle might happen sooner or later, his path to a world title will initially go in one other path.
“Undoubtedly a Shakur struggle can be nice for the followers, it’s one thing we would like,” he stated. “There may be additionally a man [Denys] Berinchyk, that just lately received the [WBO] belt. I’m all for that. He’s with Prime Rank, I’m with Prime Rank, I believe that would undoubtedly occur as properly.
“I believe the extra seemingly one to occur is Berinchyk simply trigger he talked about my identify. I’m down for that struggle. I’m not wanting previous Tevin Farmer however I believe that’s undoubtedly a struggle that would occur subsequent.”
And to power the difficulty he intends to make a press release in opposition to Farmer.
“I believe with a terrific efficiency that’ll go away no room to say no and simply making that struggle occur, [Berinchyk] needs the struggle and I would like the struggle, what extra are you able to say,” he stated.
“Keep tuned and don’t miss July 13, you guys are a future world champion and I can’t wait to placed on a present for the followers.”
Farmer (33-5-1, 8 KOs) had baptism by fireplace throughout the embryonic levels of his professional profession, going 7-4-1. Nonetheless, he earned expertise in coaching camps with the likes of Vasiliy Lomachenko and posted 18 wins to safe an IBF junior light-weight title shot. The short-fisted Philadelphia native southpaw went to Australia and outboxed Billy Dib (UD 12) for the vacant title and made 4 profitable defenses notably outboxing Francisco Fonseca (UD 12) and Jono Carroll (UD 12) earlier than shedding to Joseph Diaz (UD 12).
The 33-year-old took three-and-a-half years off earlier than returning with three wins, however it is a vital step up.
Alimkhanuly-Mikhailovich, plus undercard bouts, shall be broadcast on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT.
Questions and/or feedback might be despatched to Anson at [email protected].
