Martin Murray does not want to be remembered as one of the best British boxers never to win a world title and he has his chance to rectify that perception against the seasoned Arthur Abraham in Hanover on Saturday night.
Had he fought Abraham in his pomp – as Carl Froch did when he boxed his ears off five years ago – the fighter from St Helens might have struggled to break down the naturally bigger Berliner, whose stock in trade always has been strength, cunning and patience, as Liverpool’s Paul Smith discovered in two failed challenges.
But three world title fights at middleweight – including a disputed draw in Germany four years ago against Felix Sturm – have prepared Murray for the move up to 12 stone just as Abraham is nearing the end of a fine 12-year career at 35. Expect the 33-year-old Murray to inflict the Armenian’s fifth defeat in his 47th and possibly farewell appearance.
“Abraham is a great champion and I’m expecting a tough fight but I just feel that the timing is right for me,” Murray said. “I think my first world title fight against Sturm may have come a little bit too early. I jumped straight from domestic to world level so, even though there was an argument to say I won that fight, I think it came too soon for me.
“Against [the Argentinian Sergio] Martínez [in Buenos Aires in 2013], I knew I could win but going into the fight there were still some doubts. Whereas this time, I know I have it within me to win. I’ve got the ring experience, I’ve got the knowhow, and I really feel, despite being in Germany, I’m going to get a fair crack of the whip.
“We’ve been studying Arthur carefully and I believe I’ve got him beat. He is a great fighter, but he’s not changed his style in years, and in my opinion he’s not evolved. It’s going to be a tough fight but I know it is well within me to win. I won’t be leaving Germany without the title.”
Murray has the best chance of three British aspirants in world title fights on Saturday. Anthony Crolla’s task in the Manchester Arena is more problematic. He gave Darleys Pérez a genuine fright over 12 rounds when he fought the 32-year-old Colombian for his WBA lightweight title in the same venue in July, but might have used up the novelty factor and home advantage for the rematch. Crolla will need to be at his sharpest to take the belt.
On the undercard of the hugely anticipated WBC world middleweight title fight between Miguel Cotto and Saúl Álvarez in Las Vegas, Bristol’s dynamic Lee Haskins bids to embellish the interim version of the IBF’s world bantamweight title he holds when he challenges the unbeaten American Randy Caballero for the regular title.
Haskins, at 31, has operated under the radar for most of his career but has plenty of skill and ambition still after June’s sixth-round knockout of the excellent Japanese southpaw Ryosuke Iwasa. “I have to beat Randy Caballero to become a true world champion,” he said this week. “I’m now one of the best in the division. That was proven. But I don’t believe I’m a legitimate world champion yet.
“There are a few other British ‘world champions’ in a similar position – either interim champions or regular champions – and they are happy to pretend they are the real deal. But that’s not me. I’ll beat Randy Caballero on Saturday night and then call myself world champion.”
Most fans will be tuning in to catch the main event in the small hours of the morning when Cotto and Álvarez – both points losers at welterweight against Floyd Mayweather – make a grab for some of that abandoned glory since the great man’s supposed retirement when they contest the WBC middleweight title. I expect Cotto to find one more great performance and outlast the dangerous but one-dimensional Álvarez.
“I would love for Miguel to win this fight by knockout, call out Mayweather and then end his career,” the Puerto Rican’s trainer, Freddie Roach, said on Friday.
“Miguel always tells me that if he had me in his corner when he fought Mayweather he would have knocked him out. He tells me that story all the time.”
