Tahoe Blue Event Center in Lake Tahoe, Nevada - Raymond "Danger" Muratalla (19-0, 16 KOs) put the lightweight division on notice on Saturday night.
The 26-year-old contender defended his regional lightweight titles with an eighth round knockout over the previously unbeaten Mexican puncher Diego Torres (18-1, 17 KOs), who had no answers from the start.
Muratalla took the center of the ring from the opening round. He worked off his front foot and stepped out of range to avoid any return fire. In the eighth, he landed a left hook that snapped Torres’ head and sent him to the canvas.
Torres rose to his feet, but he was deemed unable to continue by referee Celestino Ruiz at 1:45.
The unbeaten banger is now hoping to that his next outing will have a world championship at stake.
Muratalla said, “I’m here to put on a show. Every day I’m working hard to get these opportunities. And I’m showing out.
“We put in the hard work, and I’m here to take out these opponents. I can’t wait to see what’s next. I’m here to take whoever. Any champion. I hope my next fight is a title fight.”
Also on the card, in a battle of junior lightweight standouts, Puerto Rican southpaw Henry Lebron (19-0, 10 KOs) beat William Foster III (16-1, 10 KOs) via 10-round majority decision. Lebron had success early by landing from the outside, though Foster began to connect in rounds five and six.
A left hook from Lebron stunted Foster's momentum, and Lebron was able to get the better of the exchanges down the stretch. Scores: 95-95, 96-94, and 99-91.
