Stevenson wasn't able to get the significant fights he was searching for – chief among them was one with Devin Haney – so he split.

Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs), The Ring and WBO champion at 140 pounds and The Ring's No. 3-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, doesn't have to look too far to find a formidable foe in the junior welterweight and lightweight divisions, the two weight classes he has pinned for the foreseeable future.

Raymond Muratalla (25-0, 17 KOs), the WBO's No. 1-ranked junior welterweight challenger, plans on enforcing his position to get a fight across the finish line against the 29-year-old Newark, New Jersey, native.

"Shakur is looking for an opponent, and we're No. 1 with the WBO. We're the mandatory challenger, and we're ready for the fight," Robert Garcia, Muratalla's manager and head coach, told The Ring.

"If Shakur decides to go elsewhere, we'll fight for the vacant title. But we're lined up, and [Muratalla's promoter] Top Rank is also pushing for that fight. We're pushing for it as well."

WBO president Gustavo Olivieri offered some clarification surrounding the developing situation on Monday, and why a fight hasn't been ordered yet.

"Stevenson's mandatory is currently due, and Stevenson's team has been duly notified of such obligation to be discharged pursuant to WBO rules," Olivieri told The Ring.

"We have not received a formal petition on behalf of Muratalla. Shakur has been a longstanding three-division WBO champion and is considered by many pundits as one of boxing’s best fighters with extraordinary skills. On behalf of the WBO, we wish him the best going forward, and he will have our full support."

Stevenson earned the WBO and Ring titles by beating Teofimo Lopez Jr. on January 31 in a landslide unanimous decision win.

One week before, "Danger" Muratalla, a 29-year-old Southern California native, beat Andy Cruz via majority decision in defense of his IBF lightweight title. Muratalla vacated the title on September 3 following a unanimous decision win against Robson Conceicao on August 1. Muratalla has been the WBO's top-rated challenger in the 140-pound division since the sanctioning body's release of its August rankings.

"Raymond Muratalla rises to the occasion with the level of his opposition," Garcia said. "You saw how he performed against Cruz, a very talented and difficult opponent. We were the underdog in that fight, and Raymond performed. Raymond likes being the underdog, and he would be the underdog against Shakur as well. That makes him a better fighter and will push him to do whatever it takes to win.

"Shakur is obviously not an easy fight. Shakur is pound-for-pound one of the best fighters in the world. We can't say we are sure that we will clearly win. But I do think Raymond's great skills, power and reach will allow him to take advantage of Shakur, just like he did against Cruz."