The WBO Has Ordered Stevenson vs Muratalla
Right then. The WBO has stopped waiting around. On Tuesday 27 October the sanctioning body published its order for Shakur Stevenson to negotiate a mandatory defence of his WBO super lightweight title against Raymond Muratalla, and Stevenson vs Muratalla is now the fight that decides what he does next at 140lb.
The rules are simple. The two sides have 20 days from notice to reach an agreement, which takes us to Monday 16 November at 4pm Atlantic Standard Time. If no deal is done, the WBO will order purse bid proceedings, and either party can ask for a purse bid to be started at any point during the negotiation window.
Where Both Fighters Stand
Stevenson is 25-0 with 11 knockouts. He won the WBO belt in January by unanimous decision over Teofimo Lopez, he is a four-division champion out of Newark, New Jersey, and he has recently become a free agent. That last part matters, because it means he can pick a platform and a promoter for this one rather than being told where to turn up.
Muratalla is 25-0 with 17 knockouts, out of West Covina, and he is the WBO's number one ranked contender. He is a former IBF lightweight champion who vacated that belt in September to move up to 140lb, and his lightweight run included a hard-fought majority decision over Andy Cruz. Let's not beat around the bush: he did not move up to be a spare part. He moved up for exactly this.
What Changed For Stevenson
A few weeks ago the talk was all about a catchweight with Devin Haney, and I said then that it was never going to get over the line. Haney has now moved on to a unification with Liam Paro. That leaves Stevenson with a belt, no dance partner and a mandatory on his desk, so this order lands at the perfect moment for the WBO and an awkward one for Shakur.
Why Stevenson vs Muratalla Is A Proper Fight
This is a clash of styles, and it is a good one. Stevenson is the slickest defensive fighter in the sport: a southpaw who makes you miss, counters off the shoulder and wins rounds by doing just enough. Muratalla is the opposite temperament. He is a pressure fighter with an educated jab and a punishing body attack, and he will walk through the first half of the fight to get to the second.
If you know, you know: the question with Stevenson at 140 has never been whether he can box, it is whether he can keep a big, strong pressure fighter honest for twelve rounds without getting dragged into a grind. Muratalla is levels above the mandatories he has been used to, and he is unbeaten for a reason. The body work is what worries me for Shakur.
Luke's Prediction
Make no mistake, I want to see this fight happen, and I expect it to. A purse bid is the most likely route if the money does not line up by 16 November, but the WBO order gives Stevenson very little room to wriggle. On the night I back Stevenson by unanimous decision: he will find the southpaw jab, move off the ropes and take the early rounds, Muratalla will make it ugly in the middle, and Shakur's class will see him home. Keep an eye on the news page and the fight schedule for updates when terms are agreed.