A void, not least regarding his technical ingenuity through the ropes, was left shortly after Vasyl Lomachenko announced his retirement last week.
The 37-year-old called time on an illustrious career, as both a professional and amateur, that will be widely studied and revered in years to come.
But in doing so, he also left his IBF world lightweight title, claimed following an emphatic 11th-round stoppage victory over George Kambosos Jr, up in the air.
As a result, Raymond Muratalla has now been elevated from interim to full champion, while the mandatory challenger for his red and gold strap is to be determined before long.
The 28-year-old claimed his IBF interim title last month, producing a polished performance to comprehensively outpoint sturdy contender Zaur Abdullaev through 12 largely one-sided rounds.
Before that, a far sterner test against former world champion Tevin Farmer saw Muratalla, 23-0 (17 KOs), the vastly less seasoned operator, overcome several hurdles to secure his unanimous decision victory.
In any case, the IBF confirmed in a press release yesterday that the Californian has now succeeded Lomachenko, joining Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta Davis as a world champion at 135lbs.
Running hot on his heels, meanwhile, is Olympic gold medallist Andy Cruz, who takes on Hironori Mishiro in an IBF title eliminator this Saturday.
The pair will square off in an intriguing matchup at the Madison Square Garden Theater, New York, featuring on the undercard of Richardson Hitchins vs George Kambosos Jr.
But more importantly, the winner is set to emerge as Muratalla’s mandatory challenger, perhaps also representing his first opponent as a world champion.
