Team Muratalla’s Target List: Lomachenko First, Keyshawn Never? Their Strategy Highlights a Lack of Confidence

Raymond Muratalla (23-0, 17 KOs) made it clear that he wants IBF lightweight champion Vasily Lomachenko next after winning the interim version of that title last Saturday night, beating Zaur Abdullaev (20-2, 12 KOs) by a 12-round unanimous decision at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California.

Muratalla looked like he’d been shot with a paralyzing dart gun after the fight when asked about whether he’d like to challenge WBO lightweight champion Keyshawn Davis. He looked shifty-eyed at that moment, like he wanted to escape the interview session but was trapped. You could tell from that look that Muratalla wants no part of fighting Keyshawn.

Keyshawn Last?

It looked like Raymond was stuck in one gear all night, unable to switch to a higher gear to score the knockout he needed to make a statement. Muratalla won by the scores 119-109, 119-109, and 118-110. However, the fight looked a lot closer than those heavily slanted scores. I had it 115-113 for Muratalla. Yeah, he won, but it was close, and he did not look like world champion material. He was more gatekeeper-ish.

When asked if he would be open to challenging fellow Top Rank fighter Keyshawn Davis for his WBO lightweight title next, Muratalla’s teammate said, “You keep bringing up Keyshawn. There’s Shakur. There’s [Gervonta] Davis. He’s [Keyshawn] the weakest of all the fighters. We would pick Davis, Shakur, and then Keyshawn.”

So, if this plan works out, Muratalla’s next three fights will be these:

1. Shakur Stevenson
2. Gervonta Davis
3. Keyshawn Davis

Neither of those first two fights on Team Muratalla’s hit list can happen in this lifetime. It tells that Muratalla is saving Keyshawn for last, because he will have moved up to 140 or 147 by the time he gets through the other fights he takes, which won’t be against his first two choices. Muratalla would be fighting other fighters in his next two contests, not Shakur or Tank. He’ll likely be fighting someone like Abdullaev in terms of talent. Keyshawn will be long gone by the time Muratalla is finally really to fight him, which works out well for him.

The Target: Loma

“I got Lomachenko next. That’s the main focus right now. Whoever after that, don’t matter,” said Raymond Muratalla to the media when asked who he wants to fight next. When asked if he’d like to fight WBO lightweight champion Keyshawn Davis, he was mute.

“That would suck but what can I do?” said Muratallla, reacting to being told that Lomachenko may retire. “Whenever they have it set up, I’ll be ready.”