The IBF has elevated Raymond Muratalla from interim light-weight champion to full champ following the retirement of Vasily Lomachenko. Muratalla (23-0, 17 KOs) gained the interim title final month, beating Zaur Abdullaev.
Muratalla: New IBF Light-weight Champion
Raymond’s promoters at Prime Rank haven’t revealed but what they plan for his first title protection of his IBF belt. Sadly for Muratalla, he doesn’t have a number of time to get cash struggle earlier than he’s pressured to defend the winner of Saturday’s IBF title eliminator match between Andy Cruz and Hironori Mishiro. The winner of that struggle will probably be assured a title shot towards Muratalla between 9 and 12 months.
Muratalla’s Energy: Strengths, Weaknesses
Muratalla has proven distinctive energy, however has didn’t get knockouts when he stepped up towards Tevin Farmer and Zaur Abdullaev. He fights at one tempo and doesn’t appear capable of swap it into second or third gear when he’s unable to attain a one-punch knockout. Muratalla doesn’t throw combos. All the things is a single punch, and that doesn’t work towards higher-skilled fighters.
Followers on social media need to see Muratalla defend towards Abdullah Mason subsequent. Nonetheless, that’s not going to occur. Prime Rank will preserve the 2 aside for now to proceed to construct them into stars. Mason goes after the vacant WBO light-weight belt subsequent.
Andy Cruz Threatens Muratalla
Muratalla will doubtless make a straightforward protection towards a lower-ranked fighter to make sure he will get at the least one protection in earlier than he’s pressured to defend towards the Cruz-Mishiro winner, which can virtually certainly be Andy Cruz.
That’ll be a tricky one for Muratalla as a result of Cruz has extra expertise and can disarm his offense. If Prime Rank is considering, they’ll attempt to stall that struggle for so long as doable or have Muratalla vacate to keep away from the loss. Muratalla’s expertise are too uncooked for him to beat fighters like Cruz, Shakur Stevenson, or Gervonta Davis.
If he strikes as much as 140, he may need an opportunity going up towards champions Richardson Hitchins, Alberto Puello, Gary Antuanne Russell, or Teofimo Lopez. With these guys, Muratalla’s energy could be sufficient for him to get a victory, however not at light-weight towards fighters like Cruz.
