LAS VEGAS — Lightweight contender Raymond Muratalla (21-0, 16 KOs) passed his toughest stylistic test Saturday evening by defeating former world champion Tevin Farmer (33-6-1, 8 KOs) via 10-round unanimous decision at Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Muratalla had to overcome Farmer’s elusive southpaw style by using angles and consistent pressure.
Farmer succeeded by landing straight left hands from the outside, but quick flurries from the 27-year-old stunted his momentum.
In the eighth, referee Thomas Taylor deducted a point from Farmer for excessive holding. Muratalla, who was urged by head trainer Robert Garcia to increase the pressure, stunned Farmer with a right hand in the following stanza
Muratalla kept the pace high in the final round to clinch the victory and retained his NABO and NABF titles by scores of 97-92, 96-93, and 95-94.
Muratalla said, “I just had to keep applying the pressure. He was moving around. He was holding. So I had to keep putting on the pressure. And we came out with the victory.
“I was just consistent with the pressure. I just kept putting it on. My team told me to keep putting it on. I was breaking him down round by round.
“I want the champions next. {Denys} Berinchyk called my name. I’m calling out his name right now. If I can’t get Berinchyk, then I want Shakur.”
Farmer said, “That point deduction was crazy. I feel like we were both holding. The times I tried to get out, he had my arm, so it looked like I was holding. So, he took the point. But it’s the ref. He makes the calls. So you have to take it on the chin.”
Segawa Stuns Villa
Sulaiman Segawa (17-4-1, 6 KOs) knew this was the opportunity of a lifetime, and he made the most of it.
The 33-year-old Ugandan upset Ruben Villa (22-2, 7 KOs) via 10-round unanimous decision to capture the WBC Silver featherweight title.
Segawa set the tone for tonight’s co-feature with high output from the opening bell. In the fourth round, Villa attempted to turn the tide by changing angles to land right hooks and even hurting Segawa to the body.
In the eighth, Segawa sent Villa reeling with consecutive left hands before Villa hurt him again with several body blows.
In the final rounds, Segawa’s relentlessness prevailed, earning him the nod by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94. Segawa won the last two rounds on all three judges’ cards.
Segawa said, “He prepared and trained hard. I knew he’d be a tough fighter. But in my camp, we stayed ready. We always stay ready. So I had to train hard. It’s all hard work.
“126, baby. Here we are. Top Rank, let’s do it!”
Junior Welterweight: Charlie Sheehy (10-0, 5 KOs) earned an eight-round unanimous points verdict over Ricardo Quiroz (13-5, 7 KOs). Sheehy encountered trouble in the opening rounds with Quiroz’s counters but found his rhythm down the stretch with straight shots from the outside. Scores: 78-74 and 77-75 2x.
Welterweight: 18-year-old phenom Art Barrera Jr. (6-0, 4 KOs) triumphed with a six-round unanimous decision against Javier Mayoral (6-6-1, 1 KO). Barrera floored Mayoral with a left hook followed by a right uppercut in the opening stanza and again in the fourth with a straight right hand, but the Mexican southpaw survived. Scores: 60-52 3x.
Junior Lightweight: Jonathan Lopez (16-0, 12 KOs) landed a perfectly timed left hook to the body that stopped Leonardo Padilla (23-6-1, 16 KOs) in the first round of their scheduled eight-rounder. Lopez turned him to land more, but the liver shot was enough to put him down for the count. Time of stoppage: 1:43.
Junior Lightweight: Albert Gonzalez (9-0, 5 KOs) scored a sixth-round TKO over Conrado Martinez (9-2). Gonzalez was relentless from the opening bell, wearing Martinez down with body shots. By the fourth, Martinez was on the verge of being stopped but survived until the sixth, where several unanswered shots forced referee Thomas Taylor to halt the action. Time of stoppage: 1:23.
Junior Welterweight: Israel Mercado (11-1-1, 7 KOs) defeated Dondrell Haynes (8-2, 7 KOs) over six rounds of back-and-forth action. Mercado overcame height and reach disadvantages with right hooks to the body and short lefts on the inside. Scores: 60-54 and 59-55 2x.
Junior Lightweight: Milawuakee-born southpaw Javier Zamarron (9-0, 4 KOs) scored a hard-earned unanimous decision win over Mikey Bracamontes (9-2-1, 5 KOs). Scores: 59-55 3x.
Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.
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