The unbeaten IBF lightweight champ beat Brazil’s Robson Conceicao by unanimous decision in their 12-round co-feature before Lamont Roach Jr. and William Zepeda fought for the vacant WBC lightweight title at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Muratalla’s superior power and skill, consistent body work and pressure forced Conceicao to fight off his back foot for almost all 12 rounds.

Conceicao’s reluctance to stand and trade with Muratalla (25-0, 17 KOs) led to a lopsided loss on the scorecards of judges Max De Luca (119-109), Glenn Feldman (119-109) and Don Trella (118-110) in a fight DAZN streamed globally and TNT televised in the United States. The challenger demonstrated toughness, though, and still hasn’t been knocked out in nearly 10 years as a pro.

The 29-year-old Muratalla made his second defense of the IBF lightweight title, but he wasn’t pleased with his performance.

“Not my best, to be honest with you,” Muratalla told Chris Mannix in the ring. “It was trouble making weight. You know what I mean? So, I felt it in this fight and I think I’ll feel a lot better and a lot stronger at 140.”

The Fontana, California native could’ve faced the winner of the Roach-Zepeda bout next in what would be a championship unification clash, but making 135 pounds apparently took too much out of The Ring’s second-ranked lightweight for this fight.

This loss left Conceicao 1-4-1 in world title fights. The 2016 Olympic gold medalist upset O’Shaquie Foster by split decision to win the WBC super featherweight crown in July 2024, but he lost that title back to Foster, also by split decision, in their immediate rematch almost four months later.

Conceicao (21-4, 10 KOs, 1 NC) previously lost championship matches to Oscar Valdez and Shakur Stevenson. He later fought Emanuel Navarrete to a majority draw in November 2023.

Brazil’s Conceicao, 37, competed at the lightweight limit of 135 pounds for just the second time against Muratalla in nearly 10 years as a professional. He is The Ring’s No. 4 contender in the 130-pound division.

The bigger, stronger Muratalla imposed his strength on Conceicao and stalked the challenger for much of their 36 minutes of action. The crafty Conceicao tried to fend off Muratalla, but he boxed almost exclusively off his back foot and couldn’t deter Muratalla from coming forward without much concern for the punches thrown back at him.

Muratalla was ahead 40-36, 39-37 and 39-37 through four rounds, according to an open scoring announcement inside the venue.

Conceicao briefly stood his ground during the sixth round, only to revert to movement in the seventh and eighth. Muratalla built on his lead through the eighth, by which point Muratalla led by the same score, 79-73, on all three cards.

The final four rounds mirrored much of the first eight, as Conceicao seemed satisfied to go the distance with a fighter who was at least a 12-1 favorite according to most sportsbooks.