In the recent fight between lightweight contender Raymond Muratalla and former super featherweight champion Tevin Farmer, Farmer displayed early dominance over Muratalla in the first half of the fight. Farmer, despite being the older fighter at 33, showcased his boxing skills and outboxed the 27-year-old Muratalla. He made Muratalla seem limited in his abilities, hitting and schooling him with ease. The judges’ scores reflected Farmer’s superiority, with scores of 97-92, 96-93, and 95-94 in his favor.
However, Muratalla staged a late rally in the second half of the fight. Ranked at #2 in the WBC, #2 in the WBO, and #4 in the IBF, Muratalla utilized his size and power to walk down Farmer and land hard punches. The turning point came in the eighth round when Farmer was penalized by the referee for holding. This penalty worked in favor of Muratalla, who needed all the help he could get to secure a victory. Despite losing many early rounds to the faster and more skilled Farmer, Muratalla’s late surge proved to be enough to sway the judges in his favor.
While Muratalla’s victory was a significant one, it may not be enough to solidify his position among the best fighters in the lightweight division. Prior to the fight, Muratalla expressed his belief that he belonged among top fighters like Shakur Stevenson, Gervonta Davis, Denys Berinchyk, and Vasily Lomachenko. However, his performance against Farmer revealed that he may only be a fringe-level fighter and has a long way to go before reaching the level of those elite boxers. It is evident that Muratalla will need to put in more work and undergo further training to elevate his status in the division. Top Rank, his promoting company, will need to strategize on how to elevate Muratalla’s career, especially considering their other contenders like Abdullah Mason and Keyshawn Davis who have shown more promise in the 135-lb weight class. Muratalla’s reluctance to fight Keyshawn Davis might prove to be a misstep, as facing tougher opponents could be the key to his growth as a fighter.