Joe Murray faces Voronin on Friday
2008 Olympian 'Genius' Joe Murray faces a step up in class this Friday, taking on former European title challenger Yuri Voronin at the Goresbrook Leisure Centre in Dagenham, Essex.
Boxing in his seventh professional bout and coming off the back of three straight knockout wins, Murray will box an eight rounder for the first time in his career against seasoned Ukranian Voronin who has previously been the distance with former world champions Bernard Dunne and Nicky Cook.
"I think it's going to be a good fight for me", said Murray.
"It's definitely going to make me learn, it's an eight round fight and I can't wait for it. I've trained hard, I've had the best sparring and I just can't wait to get out there.
"It's a big step up, but I boxed the best in the amateurs so it's a step up in a different way because it's the pro's and it's longer rounds, it's a longer fight, but in quality I reckon I boxed better quality people as an amateur but the fight finished faster, whereas in this the first four rounds will be like normal and then it'll be when you start getting tired, who can keep it tight, who can keep their boxing together and stuff like that so I think it's going to be a great learning fight for me."
In preparation for the fight, the former World Amateur bronze medallist has been sparring with current European super-bantamweight champion Rendall Munroe, an experience that is becoming ever more frequent for the young prospect.
"It's been really good," enthused Murray.
"What makes me more pleased is that Rendall loves sparring me he says. For someone like that, with what he's won, to say I love sparring with Joe Murray is a big confidence booster for me.
"He's a big strong man, I'm fast, but I've got power as well with him and I can hold my own so I think he likes learning as much as me. I sparred him for his last fight and the one before that as well, so it's not like it's just a one-off, I've been doing loads of rounds. I reckon I've done about 100 rounds with him."
Murray will be hoping an impressive showing on Friday will help him progress to bigger things, with a shot at the British title in his sights within the next year.
"I think Jason Booth might be giving it up to go and fight for the European and so then the British and the English title will be vacant and so hopefully I can go on after this eight rounder to fight for the English title and then have a go for the British."
Headlining the bill on Friday is Anthony Small's defence of his British and Commonwealth titles against Sam Webb along with Matthew Hatton's fight against Gianluca Branco for the vacant European welterweight title. For tickets, call 0161 775 7500 or Ticketmaster on 0844 847 2500.
