Raymond Muratalla overcomes knockdown, KOs Humberto Galindo in 9
FRESNO, Calif. – Another fight, another knockout win for Raymond Muratalla.
The unbeaten lightweight overcame a knockdown to drop Humberto Galindo twice, earning a knockout win before a partisan crowd at the Save Mart Center.
Muratalla improves to 17-0, 14 knockouts.
The 26-year-old Muratalla was dropped in the opening round, courtesy of a right cross to the head. Muratalla did not visibly look hurt, eventually beating the count and looking to assert himself and control the action. As the fight progressed, Muratalla began landing the more-effective punches, outboxing Galindo during most of the exchanges.
With about a minute left in the third round, a well-placed left hook to the body dropped Galindo to one knee. Galindo beat the count, but Muratalla was content to outbox Galindo in the center of the ring.
Sensing he was down on the scorecards during the second half of the fight, Galindo initiated exchanges. He was able to connect on the occasional right hand to the head, but Muratalla effectively countered Galindo with hook or right hand, followed by one or two punches to the head and body.
Galindo was still game late in the fight, but Muratalla continued to outbox Galindo. Late in round 9, Muratalla connected with another left hook to the body, dropping Galindo to one knee. Referee Gerard White counted Galindo out at 2:40.
Muratalla, who resides in Fontana, California, is trained by Robert Garcia in nearby Riverside. He was coming off a knockout win over Miguel Contreras in his previous fight on November 12. Since January 2019, Muratalla has stopped 11 of his last 12 opponents.
Galindo, who is originally from West Covina, California and now resides in Tijuana, Mexico, drops to 14-3-1, 11 KOs. He has now lost three of his last four bouts.
Lightweight Charlie Sheehy of Brisbane, California defeated Los Angeles’ Angel Rebollar by unanimous decision. Scores were 60-54, 60-54, and 58-56 for Sheehy, who goes to 6-0, 4 KOs.
Rebollar (6-2, 3 KOs) was game from the opening bell, connecting on lead and counter hooks and crosses, but Sheehy was the more effective and accureate boxer throughout the fights.
Junior flyweights Jessie James Guerrero (3-0-2, 3 KOs) of nearby Gilroy and Eduardo Alvarez fought to a majority decision draw. One judge scored the bout 40-36 for Guerrero, while the other two judges scored the bout 38-38. Alvarez, who resides in Maywood, California, goes to 0-2-1.
The 19-year-old Guerrero is the nephew of former world titleholder Robert Guerrero.
Junior welterweight prospect Ricardo Ruvalcaba improved to 8-0-1, 7 KOs, knocking out Marcos Cardenas (9-8-1, 4 KOs) of Salem, Oregon in the first round. A combination to the head dropped Cardenas down to the canvas, where he was counted out at 2:59. Ruvalcaba, who resides in Ventura, California, has sparred the likes of lightweight contender Ryan Garcia and junior welterweight Elvis Rodriguez.
In the opening bout of theTop Rank card, junior featherweight Subaru Murata of Tokyo, Japan knocked out Jose Negrete (2-2, 2 KOs) of nearby Hanford at 1:47 of the opening round. Murata improves to 4-0, 4 KOs.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached at [email protected]
