The World Boxing Organization (WBO) has ordered negotiations for a mandatory world title fight between super lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson and No. 1-ranked contender Raymond Muratalla.
- Four-division champion Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs) of Newark, New Jersey, claimed the belt in January, dethroning Teofimo Lopez by unanimous decision. The 29-year-old southpaw recently became a free agent following his departure from Zuffa Boxing.
- West Covina’s Muratalla (25-0, 17 KOs) is the former IBF lightweight champion. After making two successful defenses, the 29-year-old vacated the belt in September to move up to 140 pounds. He is currently the WBO’s No. 1-ranked contender.
The organization published the order on its official website on Tuesday.
’20 days to reach terms’
According to the order, the parties are “granted a period of twenty (20) days from the issuance of this Notice, or until Monday, November 16, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time (AST), to negotiate and reach mutually acceptable terms and conditions for the aforementioned mandatory championship contest.”
If no agreement is reached within the allocated time frame, the order states that “the WBO World Championships Committee shall proceed to order purse bid proceedings in accordance with Sections 11 through 14 of the WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests, and all other applicable provisions governing mandatory championship contests.”
Either party can also request that the WBO commence purse bid proceedings at any stage of the negotiation period.