Saturday, May 10, 2025, will see Raymond “Danger” Muratalla (22-0, 17 KOs) take a massive step toward his championship dreams when he faces Zaur Abdullaev (20-1, 12 KOs) for the vacant interim IBF lightweight world title at Pechanga Arena San Diego. The event will be co-featured alongside the WBO junior lightweight world title fight between Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete and unbeaten Filipino challenger Charly Suarez.
This action-packed night of boxing will stream LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, with Muratalla-Abdullaev promising fireworks and the stakes sky-high.
Muratalla’s Moment: On the Verge of Glory
The unbeaten Muratalla, 28, from Fontana, California, has surged into the top ranks of the lightweight division. After an explosive 2023 campaign that saw him knock out Jeremia Nakathila in two rounds and Diego Torres in eight, he went on to secure significant victories in 2024, including 10-round decisions over Xolisani Ndongeni and Tevin Farmer, followed by a blistering second-round TKO of Jesus Perez. Muratalla now faces his toughest challenge yet in Zaur Abdullaev.
“This is a huge opportunity for me, my family, and my team,” Muratalla said after a recent training session at Robert Garcia Boxing Academy. “This is exciting and motivating because it gets me one step closer to even bigger fights. My main goal is to get past Zaur Abdullaev, so I can start calling out for these big fights everyone wants to see. But I’m not looking past him. I know this will be a tough one.”
Muratalla’s confidence is backed by his skill set and determination. “I feel like I have too many skills and different things that Abdullaev hasn’t seen yet,” he added. “He’s strong, but I think he’s a little too slow for me. I’m ready to go. This is something that all fighters dream of. I’ve put in all the work to get here, and I’m ready to show out on May 10!”
Abdullaev’s Road to Redemption
Abdullaev, 28, has been on a tear since his loss to Devin Haney in 2019. He’s now on a nine-fight winning streak, which includes victories over former world champions Jorge Linares, Dejan Zlaticanin, and Roger Gutierrez. Abdullaev is not just looking for a title shot — he’s out to prove he’s one of the best in the division.
“I’m not here to just fight, I’m here to win,” Abdullaev said, making it clear that he’s coming for the gold. He’s improved significantly since his last defeat and has the skills to put Muratalla to the test.
Why You Should Watch
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Muratalla vs. Abdullaev: A high-stakes lightweight battle with a world title shot on the line.
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Navarrete vs. Suarez: The WBO junior lightweight title up for grabs in another world-class bout.
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Rising stars: Muratalla and Abdullaev both come in hungry for championship glory.
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A night of thrilling boxing action: Big names, big stakes, and the perfect way to spend your Saturday night.
Confirmed Fights
Main Card
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Raymond “Danger” Muratalla vs. Zaur Abdullaev, 12 rounds, interim IBF lightweight world title
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Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete vs. Charly Suarez, 12 rounds, WBO junior lightweight world title
Undercard
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Additional bouts TBA
Event Info
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Date: Saturday, May 10, 2025
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Location: Pechanga Arena, San Diego, California
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Time: 10:00 PM ET / 7:00 PM PT / 3:00 AM UK
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Stream: LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+
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Tickets: Available now via AXS.com
Oh great, another ‘battle of titans’ as they call it 🤦♂️ Let’s see how this one goes before we start calling them legends already!
Haha true! They act like every fight is an epic saga.
It’s all just hype anyway, let’s see some real action!
It’s funny how everyone acts like they know everything about boxing haha 😂 Like seriously, who do you think will win based on their Instagram posts?
Right!? Social media isn’t a substitute for actual boxing knowledge.
I think Muratalla’s got this in the bag! He’s got skills like no other, and Abdullaev better watch out! It’s gonna be fire works on that ring for sure!! 🔥🥊 Can’t wait!!
You may be right but don’t count Abdullaev out yet! He’s hungry for that title too.
LOL yeah but Muratalla seems overconfident sometimes.. that could backfire!
‘Oh wow another fight night! I mean come on how many fights do we need? It’s like they just keep coming up with the same old stuff.’ Seriously, how many more fights are there gonna be? 😑
‘What do you mean? The sport needs excitement, and fights like these bring it!’
‘Yeaah but it’s always the same faces! Just give us something fresh.’
Did you know that both fighters have a lot of experience? Muratalla has faced strong opponents and Abdullaev has improved after his loss to Haney. It’s gonna be an interesting match for sure.
‘Interesting’ is an understatement! It might be a clash of styles we haven’t seen in ages.
‘Interesting’ is just what they want us to believe, it’s all scripted drama anyway!
This whole thing is just a money grab for the promoters. Who even cares about these fighters? They won’t change the sport, just more of the same boring fights. 😒
I think this fight is going to be amazin! Muratalla is a beast and Abdullaev has been trainin hard. I can’t wait to see who wins. 🥊 Let’s go Muratalla! This is his time!
Yeah, but don’t forget Abdullaev! He has som mad skills too. It could go either way, honestly.