Raymond Muratalla destroys Jesus Perez to boost title shot claims

Raymond Muratalla demonstrated why he is on the verge of a world title shot by destroying Jesus Perez inside two rounds at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York, on Saturday night. The lightweight contest was the co-main event of the rematch between Robson Conceicao and O’Shaquie Foster.

Muratalla, 22-0 (17 KOs), made his intentions clear in the opening round, landing a big right hand, followed by a fast combination. A straight right hand down the middle snapped back Perez’s head, and Muratalla followed with a left hook.

A lead right hand dropped Perez, 25-6 (18 KOs), hard at the beginning of the second. Perez beat the count, but shortly afterward a short, arcing right hand landed on the tip of his chin, and a follow-up right dropped him a second time. Perez rose to his feet again, but Muratalla would not be denied, and referee Charlie Fitch stepped in to halt the contest at 1 minute and 24 seconds of the round.

Muratalla, irritated that recent victim Tevin Farmer is about to fight for an interim belt, said afterward that, “I’m coming for all the champions. … I’m asking for all these title shots, and they’re not giving them to me. I want any of those champions. I’m ready for any of them.”

Earlier in the evening, Mike Ohan Jr. never stopped trying in his junior welterweight contest with Bryce Mills, but despite boasting advantages in reach and height, he was unable to stave off the relentless Mills, 17-1 (6 KOs). Round by round, Mills’ aggression broke down Ohan, 19-4 (9 KOs) a little bit more, until Ohan’s trainer, Mark DeLuca, pulled his man from the contest after the fifth of a scheduled eight rounds. 

In a contest that smoldered without ever catching fire, Abraham Nova and Humberto Galindo boxed to a split decision draw over 10 junior lightweight rounds. The closeness of the contest was reflected in the punch stats, with Nova landing just six more total blows than his opponent, although he threw almost 100 more.

This was arguably a contest that Nova, 23-3-1 (16 KOs) came the closer to controlling, his jabbing seeming at times to hypnotize Galindo, 14-3-3 (11 KOs), and preventing him from opening up fully. At the same time, by concentrating on limiting Galindo’s offense, Nova fought within himself, rarely separating himself from his opponent and allowing Galindo to steal some rounds with a quick flurry. Galindo stepped up his aggressive output over the last couple of rounds, which may have been enough for him to escape a close defeat.

Scores were 97-93 Galindo, 96-94 Nova and 95-95.

Early in the eighth round of his middleweight contest with Quilisto Madera, Jahi Tucker, 13-1-1 (6 KOs) suffered a point deduction from referee Charlie Fitch for hitting and holding after Fitch had told him and Madera, 14-6 (9 KOs), to break. Before the round was over, Tucker had done more than earn the point back, unloading on a wobbled Madera and causing Fitch to step in at 1 minute and 52 seconds. Tucker had dominated throughout with his fast hands and combinations, and although Madera was unhappy with the stoppage, he was a minute away from losing the scheduled eight-rounder anyway.

Young heavyweight Ali Feliz, 4-0 (3 KOs), became the first person to stop Rashad Coulter, 5-5 (3 KOs), as he delivered a second-round stoppage. A pull counter right hand staggered Coulter, another right hand sent Coulter backward into the ropes, and a follow-up barrage led referee Ricky Gonzalez to intervene at 1 minute and 34 seconds.

Rising featherweight Yan Santana, 13-0 (12 KOs), stopped veteran Eduardo Baez, 23-7-2 (9 KOs), at 1 minute and 57 seconds of Round 4. Santana hurt Baez, who had lasted the distance with the likes of Angelo Leo and Jonathan Lopez, on several occasions before dropping him in the fourth. Baez beat the count, but as Santana began teeing off on him again, referee Charlie Fitch stepped in to halt the contest.

Heavyweight Damien Knyba moved to 14-0 (8 KOs) with a third round knockout of Richard Lartey, 16-7 (14 KOs). A straight right hand to the temple and a follow-up left hook dropped Lartey to his back, prompting referee Ricky Gonzalez to halt the fight without a count. Time was 2 minutes and 10 seconds.

Kieran Mulvaney has written, broadcast and podcasted about boxing for HBO, Showtime, ESPN and Reuters, among other outlets. He also writes regularly for National Geographic, has written several books on the Arctic and Antarctic, and is at his happiest hanging out with wild polar bears. His website is www.kieranmulvaney.com.