Murray ready to make his move
Martin Murray is closing in on Britain’s leading middleweights. The unbeaten St Helens fighter has recently been nominated to challenge English champion Darren McDermott but will first meet dangerous Georgian Shalva Jomardashvili over eight rounds at the Fenton Manor Sports Complex in Stoke this Friday.
With 26 wins from his 27 contests, on paper at least, Jomardashvili represents the sternest gut check of Murray’s 17-fight career which has been gaining momentum since he won the inaugural Prizefighter Middleweight tournament in November 2008.
“Jomardashvili’s only lost one in 27 and he’s knocked a few out as well (19 to be precise). I know he’s been fighting opposition in Georgia but you’ve still got to respect that kind of power. I saw his last fight on You Tube when he lost to Aslanbek Kodzoev in November and he likes to come forward and bully you by applying lots of pressure so it should be a tasty match-up,” revealed Murray.
Perhaps significantly, Jomardashvili’s solitary career defeat came when he ventured outside of his native Georgia for the first time when he was floored three times en route to an eight rounds points reversal against Russia’s Kodzoev in France.
“Originally, we tried to get Kodzoev for this fight but my matchmaker, Richard Poxon, said that every time he spoke to the Russian’s manager they kept putting the price up by £1,500 so we eventually settled on Jomardashvili,” Murray explained.
The attempt to bring Kodzoev to Britain instead of Jomardashvili would indicate that Murray’s team, comprising of Hatton Promotions and trainer Oliver Harrison, believe the time is now right to accelerate the improving 27-year-old’s career progression.
“When I turned pro I always thought that it would be my third year when I would start to make inroads on the domestic scene and push towards challenging for titles. I think I deserve a title shot now. I’ve been making brilliant progress with Oliver (Harrison) so I’m confident that good things are around the corner for both of us in 2010.”
“I’ve been asking to be stepped up in class for a while now and matched against my domestic rivals such as Wayne Elcock, Darren McDermott and Darren Barker. We previously approached McDermott’s matchmaker, Dean Powell, but they knocked it back,” said Murray.
Murray’s pleas have been heard by the British Boxing Board of Control who last week nominated the unbeaten St Helens fighter to challenge for Darren McDermott’s English middleweight crown with the contest having to take place before the end of May. It represents a well-deserved opportunity for Murray who has notched five wins since outpointing Joe Rea and domestic rivals Danny Butler and Cello Renda to win Prizefighter.
“I only went into Prizefighter to raise my profile and to be honest I wasn’t ready to go into twelve round championship fights after I’d won it. But I’m more than ready for it now and as soon as I get my chance I’ll grab it with both hands. I’m ready for anyone, whether it’s Wayne Elcock, Darren McDermott, Darren Barker or Matthew Macklin. Realistically, Barker is my main aim as Macklin appears to be close to a world title shot whereas (British and Commonwealth king) Barker is within my reach. I rate Barker but I do think he has a weakness around the chin,” admitted Murray.
The 2004 ABA welterweight champion has developed a spiteful body attack that has been evident in his crushing victories gained over Kevin Concepcion (TKO3) and George Aduashvili (KO1). Somewhat surprisingly however, Murray has only stopped six of his 17 opponents.
“My power has been definitely improving and I’ve been working with a strength trainer in Wigan for a while now and can feel myself getting stronger. You have to remember that I fought three times in one night in Prizefighter and had I fought my opponents over longer distances (than three rounds) I think I would have stopped all three of them,” surmised Murray, who has stopped three of his last five.
“Also when I turned pro I had to box the horrible, awkward journeymen who didn’t really want to fight so it was hard to get them out of there. As I step up in class, more people are willing to stand and fight with me and as a result I’m starting to find the openings now,” he added.
One domestic contender who is willing to share a ring with Murray is Paul Samuels. The Welsh banger has breathed fresh life into his career following exciting back-to-back wins over Cello Renda and was almost pitted against Murray on a non-televised bill in St Helens last July.
“I was actually offered the opportunity to fight Paul Samuels that night but I knocked it back because I wanted to get some more rounds in,” revealed Murray to BoxRec News. “Instead, I fought Thomas Awinbono and easily outpointed him (80-72). It was a pretty boring fight but I completed eight rounds for the first time which I felt was important for me at that stage in my career.”
“In hindsight, I’m pleased I turned down the Samuels fight then because it would make more sense to do it now (following Samuels’ victories over Renda). For now, the only person I’m concentrating on is Jomardashvili,” Murray concluded.
