Undefeated contender Raymond “Danger” Muratalla is ascending the lightweight ladder without any delay.
The 26-year-old Muratalla, who blasted out Jeremia Nakathila in only two rounds in May, makes his third appearance of 2023 in a 10-round clash against unbeaten Mexican standout Diego Torres on Saturday, August 12 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
Muratalla-Torres will serve as the co-feature to the junior lightweight title showdown between WBO world champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete and former two-division world champion Oscar Valdez. U.S. Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. opens the televised tripleheader in a six-round heavyweight tilt against Willie Jake Jr.
Navarrete-Valdez, Muratalla-Torres, and Torrez-Jake will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $50 are on sale at Ticketmaster.com.
Muratalla (18-0, 15 KOs) is quickly becoming a major threat in his division. He made his pro debut in 2016 in Mexico, and two years later he debuted in the U.S. He has stopped 12 of his last 13 opponents, and he is on track to have his most impressive year yet. In March, he survived a first-round knockdown to stop Humberto Galindo with a body shot in round nine. In May, he opened the Devin Haney-Vasiliy Lomachenko pay-per-view broadcast with his devastating showing against Nakathila.
Muratalla said, “I couldn’t be more excited to get back in that ring on such a great card. I can’t wait to put on another great performance for the fans. I believe this is my time now, and I will continue to show the hard work that’s being put in.”
Torres (17-0, 16 KOs) is a 25-year-old powerhouse from Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. The oldest of four boxing brothers, he began his pro career in 2019 and unleashed a streak of 13 knockout victories. In February 2022, he took on fellow Zapopon native Jonathan Escobedo Martinez, going the 10-round distance for the first time in an all-action slugfest. Torres is 3-0 with three knockouts since the Martinez war. In his last fight, he beat Jose Segura Torres via fifth-round TKO in March. Torres is now set to celebrate his 26th birthday by making his long-awaited U.S. debut.
“I am very excited about this fight. I think this is a big opportunity for me,” Torres said. “Fighting against another undefeated fighter is something that I was looking for. It is my way of showing that I am made for this, and I am here to achieve great things. I am not afraid. I'm going to give it my all and come out with a great victory.”