Shakur Stevenson vs Raymond Muratalla Is Now Ordered
The WBO made it official Tuesday: Shakur Stevenson must defend his super lightweight title against Raymond Muratalla. The two sides have 20 days to negotiate terms before the fight goes to a purse bid, with a November 16 deadline.
Stevenson, 28, is undefeated at 25-0 with 11 knockouts. He became a four-weight world champion in January by dominating Teofimo Lopez at Madison Square Garden. He left Top Rank, spent months as a free agent, and reportedly aligned with Zuffa Boxing.
Muratalla, 29, is unbeaten at 25-0 with 17 KOs. He won the IBF interim lightweight title in May 2025, was elevated to full champion when Vasiliy Lomachenko retired, defended it twice, and then moved up to 140 pounds. The Ring ranks him as the division’s top contender, and his promoter, Bob Arum, petitioned the WBO to make the fight mandatory.
Stevenson is a cerebral southpaw with elite footwork and defensive mastery. Muratalla is a strong, forward-pressing pressure fighter with genuine stopping power. If Stevenson tries to coast, Muratalla’s body attack will wear him down. But if Stevenson boxes with the focus he showed against Lopez, he has the skill edge to control the distance.
I’ve gone back and forth on this one. Muratalla’s style is all wrong for Stevenson’s comfort zone. But Stevenson proved he can elevate when it matters most. I like Stevenson by decision, though Muratalla makes him work for every round.
Lomachenko Ends Retirement, Targets 130
Vasiliy Lomachenko confirmed last weekend that he is ending his year-long retirement and returning at super featherweight. The 38-year-old Ukrainian legend told DAZN in San Antonio that he wants to fight the winner of the Navarrete-Foster unification for a shot at three belts at 130 pounds.
Lomachenko retired in June 2025 after struggling with motivation and injuries at lightweight. He never liked the weight, and he never got his undisputed fight with Gervonta Davis. Coming back at 130 is sensible — it is the weight where he first captured a world title in 2016 and made four defenses. He stopped Guillermo Rigondeaux there before moving up.
The timing lines up perfectly. Foster unified three titles at 130 on Saturday night, so the division has a clear focal point. Lomachenko says he wants to be undisputed, and a fight with Foster or Navarrete would get him there. He also left Top Rank when his contract expired, so he is a free agent who can negotiate directly.
There are risks. He hasn’t fought since May 2024, and he will be 39 by the time a 2027 fight happens. But Lomachenko has never been the type to coast into a mismatch. If his preparation is serious, he is still one of the best technical boxers on the planet.
Haney and Paro Agree to December Unification
Devin Haney and Liam Paro have finalized a welterweight title unification for December 19 at San Francisco’s Chase Center. Haney’s WBO belt and Paro’s IBF strap will both be on the line, making it a two-belt showdown with the winner setting up a possible undisputed chase in 2027.
Haney, 27, is 33-0 with 15 KOs and became a three-division champion by dethroning Brian Norman Jr. last November. He signed a multi-fight deal with DAZN this summer. Paro, 30, is 28-1 with 16 KOs and won the IBF title in June by outlasting Lewis Crocker in Brisbane. He is a southpaw from Mackay, Queensland, and joined Jeff Fenech as the only Australian-born fighters to win titles in two divisions.
The matchup was previously discussed for 2024 but never materialized. Now both men have grown into their divisions. Haney is faster and more defensively polished, but Paro is tough, durable, and has shown he can win ugly fights. The winner will hold two of the four welterweight titles, with the other half of the division waiting in the wings.
This Weekend: Canelo Looks to Reclaim Gold
Saturday’s card in Riyadh is billed as Mexico vs. The World, and the main event is exactly that. Canelo Alvarez (63-3-2, 39 KOs) challenges Christian Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs) for the WBC super middleweight title. Both men fought on the same Terence Crawford card last September. Canelo lost to Crawford that night; Mbilli’s fight ended in a draw.
Mbilli is a sharp, volume-punching technician who won the interim title and was later elevated to full champion. He is the first to hold the WBC belt at 168 without Canelo’s name on it since 2020. Canelo has been talking about undisputed super middleweight glory for years. Beating Mbilli would give him the WBC and set up a clash with WBO titleholder William Scull. Canelo Wobbles is a real concern heading into this one.
The undercard features Jaime Munguia defending his WBA super middleweight title against Nikita Zon, and Rafael Espinoza putting his WBO featherweight belt on the line. It is a deep card, and given Riyadh’s recent history of producing action, it is worth waking up early for.
Filipino Corner: Two World Title Shots in Tokyo
While the big-money fights happen in Saudi Arabia and San Francisco, two Filipino fighters are preparing for the biggest nights of their careers in Tokyo. On November 26, Miel Fajardo challenges Masamichi Yabuki for the IBF flyweight world title, and Zyvyr Medecilo faces Takeshi Ishii for the WBA minimumweight crown. Both bouts will take place at the Ebara Wave Arena in Ota City.
Fajardo is a technically sound pressure fighter who has been calling out Yabuki for months. Yabuki is making his first mandatory defense and is known for his high work rate and crisp combinations. If Fajardo imposes his body attack early, he has a real path to a world title.
Medecilo’s story is even more compelling. He will be making history if he wins: a world title in just his tenth professional fight would break Malcolm Tuñacao’s record as the fastest Filipino champion. Medecilo is a sharp puncher with speed, and Ishii just won the belt by first-round knockout last month. That means Ishii is confident, possibly reckless, and Medecilo can use that aggression against him.
Having two Filipino fighters on the same Tokyo card chasing world titles is rare. Both camps have been training in Hong Kong under Lennon Tsoi. If you’re Filipino like me, mark November 26 on your calendar.
Bottom line: the WBO did boxing a favor by ordering Stevenson-Muratalla. The division has been stuck in neutral for months, and this forces the best fighter at 140 to face the most legitimate challenger. Lomachenko’s return at 130 adds another layer of intrigue to a division that just unified three belts. Haney-Paro is the best welterweight fight that can be made right now. And Canelo’s last stand at super middleweight starts Saturday. Dubois Ends Wardley in Two proved that this sport still delivers moments that justify staying up late. Fury-Joshua Is Official showed that unification fights still move the needle when the right fighters meet. Bivol vs Smith Official reminded us that mandatories move faster when promoters actually want them. It is a good time to be a fight fan.