Raymond Muratalla looks to leave his injury behind against Diego Torres
Raymond Muratalla will look to continue his breakout year when he faces fellow power-puncher Diego Torres on Saturday, in Tahoe Blue Event Center in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Muratalla, The Ring’s No. 10-rated lightweight, had been scheduled to face Torres back on August 12, only for an injury to his right hand put pay to those plans.
“The injury is probably the worst thing you can face in camp, you can’t really do anything about,” Muratalla (18-0, 15 knockouts) told The Ring. “It was one of those situations where it needed a rest, no surgery
“Everything is good to go now. I’ve been putting in the work, trying to get to 100 percent. I’ll be ready come November 4.”
While Muratalla is low-reward, high-risk for the bigger names in the division, he finds himself on the opposite side of that equation when he faces his unbeaten Mexican opponent.
“I don’t know too much about him,” admitted the 26-year-old Californian. “I’ve seen some of his fights on him, he’s a tough fighter. He’s going to come to fight.
“I’m sure he’s going to be well trained, so am I. I think it’s going to be a great fight. He’s a tough dude, I’m a tough guy, so it’s going to be a war.”
Muratalla impressed back in March when he got off the canvas in the opening round to fight back and knockout Humberto Galindo in nine-rounds.
“It was a different experience, but that goes to show my mindset during these fights,” he said of the knockdown he suffered. “At the end of the day, I’m here to win and whatever I’ve got to go through, I’ll go through and I’ll get through and come out with that victory.”
The Robert Garcia-trained fighter followed that up by stopping Jeremiah Nakathila, who had previously taken Shakur Stevenson the distance, dropping a wide 12-round unanimous decision but had since impressively stopped former WBC 130-pound titlist Miguel Berchelt (RTD 6).
“When you want to get to the top you have to go through some of these guys people don’t want to face,” he explained of his choice to search out the dangerous Nambian, who could entice any of the top 135-pounds into facing him. “Whoever I’ve got to get through I’ll get through. As a fighter that’s how we should think.”
While boxing is his primary focus, Muratalla is at college, where he’ll soon receive his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice.
However, he intends to dole out his own brand of justice to Torres and in short order put the lightweight division on notice.
“Right now, I’m focused on my upcoming fight but all those names that are up there, I’m really coming. I want these big fights to make a name for myself because I’m really not that well known so I’ve got to beat these guys with names. .
“With this upcoming fight I’ve got to make a statement just so I can actually get these fights I want and deserve and I think a great win should set it up. [I’m not targeting] anybody in particular, I want the belts actually, so whoever has the belt that it’s my time that’s who I’ll be facing but until then I’ve just got to get through these guys.”
Torres (18-0, 17 KOs) turned professional in 2019. The Zapopan native won his first 13 inside the distance, with only two opponents lasting past the second round.
The 26-year-old has stayed active and won twice this year, including, most recently, stopping Julio Barraza (TKO 5) in September.
It’s difficult to gauge what to expect from Torres but looking at both fighters’ records this fight won’t go the distance and Muratalla will be favored to continue his impressive streak, while working his way towards something bigger in 2024.
Muratalla-Torres will be a co-feature to Efe Ajagba-Joe Goodall on ESPN+ at 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT
Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at elraincoat@live.co.uk.
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