The IBF announced a procedural move Monday, as the sanctioning body removed "interim" from Raymond Muratalla and elevated him to its lightweight champion after Vasiliy Lomachenko announced his retirement last week.

Muratalla (23-0, 17 KOs) won the interim title last month when he beat Zaur Abdullaev by unanimous decision, and now he’ll look toward making his first title defense against the winner of the Andy Cruz (5-0, 2 KOs) versus Hinonori Mishiro (17-1-1, 6 KOs) title eliminator fight Saturday. The winner will emerge as Muratalla’s mandatory challenger.

The sanctioning body released the following statement regarding Lomachenko.

“The IBF received official notification on June 5 that Vasiliy Lomachenko was retiring from the sport of boxing, thereby relinquishing his title as IBF lightweight world champion. The IBF is proud and honored to count Mr. Lomachenko among its roster of former champions. His achievements in the ring, as both a professional and an amateur, are truly exceptional. He has built a legacy marked by determination, skill, and sportsmanship that will continue to inspire generations of fighters to come. We extend our sincere gratitude to Loma for his contributions to the sport and to the IBF. We wish him all the best and every success in his future endeavors.”

Lomachenko beat George Kambosos Jr. in May 2024 by 11th-round TKO to win the title, but never defended it as he contemplated the next steps of his career.