Lightweight Raymond Muratala proved his mettle on Saturday, defeating former titleholder Tevin Farmer by 10-round unanimous decision. At the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Muratala won by scores of 97-92, 96-93, 95-94, improving his chances of winning the title.
The bout began with a solid first round as Muratala (21-0, 16 KOs), 27, of Fontana, California, applied the pressure and focused his attacks on Farmer's body. But Farmer kept busy dodging and challenging Muratala's strategy. By the third round, Muratala began to adjust to Farmer's angles, but Farmer used his experience to successfully counter Muratala's advances and land first.
Farmer's foot speed and counter punching were evident, but Muratala found his rhythm in the fifth round, closing the distance to greater effect. Muratala was initially unable to force Farmer against the ropes, but his tenacity paid off.
The turning point came in the eighth, when Farmer (33-5-1), a Philadelphia native, was deducted a point for holding by referee Thomas Taylor. The intervention tipped the scales in favor of Muratala, who was at his best from then on, landing powerful body shots and a devastating right uppercut.
Trainer Robert Garcia encouraged Muratala to increase his punching power and keep up the pressure. Farmer was clearly tiring in the final rounds, but Muratala remained active and energetic. In the tenth round, Muratala landed perhaps the best shot of the bout, a powerful right punch, to seal the victory. Muratala will hope that this win will advance him to a match against a world title holder.
Murata is currently ranked No. 2 by the WBC and WBO and No. 4 by the IBF and is set to face WBO lightweight champion Denis Belinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs), 36, of Kyiv, Ukraine, who defeated Emmanuel Navarrete to win the title in May.
Lucas Ketel is a proud member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and author of “Inside The Ropes of Boxing” (available on Amazon). He can be reached at X @LukieBoxing.
