FRESNO, Calif. - Raymond Muratalla has built an unbeaten record without much fanfare. That could change as long as he continues winning.

Muratalla, the talented lightweight, will face Humberto Galindo tonight at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. The 10-round bout will be the final undercard fight prior to the main ESPN telecast, which will be headlined by the junior welterweight clash between Jose Ramirez and Richard Commey.

The Muratalla-Commey fight is scheduled to stream live on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT.

Muratalla (16-0, 13 knockouts), who resides in the Los Angeles suburb of Fontana, last fought November 12 in Las Vegas, battering once-beaten Miguel Contreras before winning by knockout in the sixth round. The win over Contreras came almost four months after Muratalla defeated Jair Valtierra, who also entered the fight with one loss, by unanimous decision.

The 26-year-old is trained by Robert Garcia in nearby Riverside. Since his days in the amateurs, Muratalla has benefited from sparring several top contenders and prospects at the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy. 

Garcia, who also trains Ramirez, along with former WBC world junior bantamweight titleholder and current WBA world junior bantamweight titleholder, believes Muratalla can make a run to the top of a very competitive lightweight division.

“Raymond Muratalla is (the) lightweight division’s best kept secret,” Garcia told BoxingScene Thursday. “After his next two fights (10 rounders), he will show the world that he (is) ready to compete against any top lightweight in the world. Raymond is one of the most talented fighters we have in my gym right now.”

Muratalla has stopped 10 of his last 11 opponents.

Galindo (14-2-1, 11 KOs), who is originally from West Covina, also a suburb of Los Angeles, and now resides in Tijuana, California, lost by unanimous decision to unbeaten Artem Harutyunyan in his last bout on June 22. 

The 23-year-old Galindo has lost two of his last three fights, with the win sandwiched between two defeats coming in August 2021, stopping Darvin Galeano, who entered the fight unbeaten, in the first round. 

Francisco A. Salazar has written for BoxingScene since September 2012 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 by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing