SAN DIEGO – It’s fitting that Raymond Muratalla’s IBF interim lightweight title fight on Saturday arrives at the time when college and high school graduations are packing gymnasiums and stadiums across the land.

For Hall of Fame matchmaker Brad Goodman and 2024 Trainer of the Year Robert Garcia, Muratalla’s ascent from his origins being raised in a small, industrial town 50 miles east of Los Angeles and taking bouts in Tijuana, Mexico, and local casinos conjures a wave of memories.

The 28-year-old Muratalla, 22-0 (17 KOs), meets Russia’s Zaur Abdullaev, 20-1 (12 KOs), at Pechanga Sports Arena here on an ESPN co-main event under WBO 130lbs champion Emanuel Navarrete’s title defense against Philippines’ Charly Suarez.

The Muratalla-Abdullaev winner will be the full IBF champion if three-division champion Vasiliy Lomachenko, 37, opts to retire instead of defending his belt by October 8. 

“It’s like having a child, watching him grow into adulthood,” Goodman said of Muratalla. “You’re proud of them, especially when you’ve been with them right from the beginning.”

Goodman recalls industry insiders buzzing about Muratalla’s progress under trainer Robert Garcia and learning he defeated both Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney as a young amateur.

“Boxing people were raving about him when I met him at a fight card in Costa Mesa, California, and we hit it off,” Goodman said. “He was just very composed. Then you see the skillset. He fights by setting you up. It’s like he’s playing chess. He figures you out. And then he goes for the knockout.”

Goodman signed Muratalla to promoter Bob Arum’s Top Rank, and Garcia continued fine-tuning the Fontana, California product.

Developing a fighter from the ground up, “those are the best feelings,” Garcia said. “He came to me when he was fighting six-rounders, had no promoter and I’d put him on my own [club] cards. He did it little by little – little shows, smokers – and to think how he’s gone from there to being able to fight for a championship, it’s unbelievable.”

“It’s never easy. He’s very dedicated, very close to his family, spends a lot of time with his sisters – cooking and shopping. Family is always around him, and that has helped him so much through all this.”

Even Arum, at 93, feels the joy of “developing him from nothing into a contender. He’s a gutty guy who’s advanced to the point I won’t hesitate to put him in there against anyone.”

That’s saying quite a bit in a division that includes champions Lomachenko, unbeaten WBC and three-division titlist Shakur Stevenson, unbeaten WBA and three-division champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and new WBO belt-wearer Keyshawn Davis.

“Muratalla is becoming a rare talent in this day and age. He’s truly a guy who wants to fight the fights that fans really want to see as opposed to those this past weekend who were opposed to throwing punches and behaving like the fan doesn’t even exist, doing just enough to get to the next pay day.”

Garcia coaxed Muratalla through some frustration last year when Goodman sought to improve his chances against Stevenson by assigning him a problematic similar left-hander, Tevin Farmer, in a fight that went the distance.

“A lot of it may have to do with me,” Goodman said. “What better opponent to replicate and be a clone of Shakur than Farmer? He didn’t look good, but he did win the fight and it was a learning experience and he knows how to fight southpaws now.”

Garcia was proud of how Muratalla endured the frustration of that bout and then falling behind Davis in the WBO rankings, which led to Davis winning the belt.

“When a fighter is frustrated, having a tough fight, or not being where he wants in the rankings, when [the sanctioning bodies] jump you to give the title fight to Keyshawn [Davis], that hurts,” Garcia said. “We kept him positive – ‘We still have a chance, another opportunity.’ His last performance was unbelievable and now he has this chance to be world champion.”

Muratalla professed his readiness for the occasion.

“I feel really good. I’m ready,” he told BoxingScene Thursday. “All the hard work has been put in. Ready to go, ready to weigh in. Can’t wait to show it Saturday. I’ve seen [Abdullaev] fight and know how he fights. I’m fully prepared. This has been a great camp. I can’t wait to put on a show.” 

What is it like to know the ambition of your life’s work is less than 48 hours away?

“I’m very confident. That comes from all the years of hard work I’ve put in,” Muratalla said. “I’ve been doing this my whole life. Just knowing I’m ready for it feels great.” 

Goodman has been on the phone with Garcia nearly every day of the past month, checking on Muratalla.

“He’s wanted this for more than 1 ½ years. He’s in his best shape ever. He’s beating guys up, knocking down guys in sparring,” Goodman said. “I think he’s going to shine Saturday night.”

So it might be ideal for the arena sound person to play “Pomp and Circumstance” when the outcome is decided.

Lance Pugmire is BoxingScene’s senior U.S. writer and an assistant producer for ProBox TV. Pugmire has covered boxing since the early 2000s, first at the Los Angeles Times and then at The Athletic and USA Today. He won the Boxing Writers’ Association of America’s Nat Fleischer Award in 2022 for career excellence.