Raymond Muratalla Keeps His Crown in a Thrilling Showdown

Raymond Muratalla is now in the spotlight as one of the top lightweights in the world. He managed to keep his IBF title after a tough fight against Andy Cruz. The decision was close, with scores of 114-114, 116-112, and 118-110 in his favor. Even though Muratalla was the champion, many thought Cruz had the upper hand. Cruz had won a gold medal in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which made him a strong contender. Both fighters were in the top five of their weight class before the fight. Muratalla showed great skill and strategy to edge out Cruz over 12 rounds. He is now seen as the number one lightweight, especially since Shakur Stevenson is fighting at a higher weight class. After the fight, Muratalla expressed his desire to take on bigger challenges. He mentioned wanting to fight the winner of the upcoming match between Shakur Stevenson and Teofimo Lopez. Stevenson has hinted that he might return to the lightweight division after his fight, which could set the stage for a major showdown between him and Muratalla.Another potential opponent for Muratalla is WBO champion Abdullah Mason. Both fighters are under the same promotion company, Top Rank, which could make the match easier to arrange. However, Top Rank is currently without a U. S. broadcast partner, which might complicate things. The fight between Muratalla and Cruz was intense and closely contested. Despite one judge's controversial scorecard, the match was competitive throughout. Muratalla's pressure and body shots were key factors in his victory. Cruz, on the other hand, relied on his jab and right hand to keep Muratalla at bay. The fight had many ups and downs, with both fighters having moments of dominance. Muratalla's experience and ability to control the distance and pace of the fight were crucial in securing his victory. The close nature of the fight had experts divided in their scoring.