John Murray wants fight with Katsidis
May 20th, 2010
By Sean McDaniel: With Kevin Mitchell and Amir Khan not currently showing much interest in fighting British and European Boxing Union lightweight champion John Murray (29-0, 17 KO’s), he is now turning his attention to WBO lightweight interim champion Michael Katsidis (27-2, 22 KO’s) for his next fight. Murray, 25, would like to fight Katsidis in September at the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester, England, where he thinks he can sellout the arena. Murray believes that he can make a name for himself by beating the Australian, the same way that fellow Brit Ricky Hatton made a name for himself in defeating Kostya Tszyu by an 11th round stoppage in 2005.
Katsidis, 29, stopped Kevin Mitchell in the 3rd round last weekend at Upton Park in an impressive performance. Mitchell, a faster and more powerful puncher than Murray, was no match against the much stronger Katsidis. It’s hard to see Murray having better luck than Mitchell because he’s a lot slower and doesn’t hit quite as hard. Things could turn out really bad for Murray if he were matched against Katsidis. Two weeks ago, Murray defeated Gary Buckland by an 11th round TKO. Murray looked slow, took a lot of shots and didn’t look very impressive in beating a fighter that was tailor made for him.
Murray’s defense, power and hand speed just wasn’t there in that fight and he looked very beatable. Murray might be better off going after the recently beaten Mitchell right now rather than Katsidis. If Murray can get by Mitchell, which I highly doubt, then he should go after Katsidis. But right now, there’s nothing I’ve seen in Murray’s previous fights that would suggest that he would do anything other than get quickly knocked out by Katsidis. At best, I see Murray’s chin keeping him on his feet for 6 to 8 rounds, with him serving pretty much as a punching bag for Katsidis.
Hatton may have beaten Tszyu in the past, but people fail to remember that Tszyu was 36, at the end of the line, and coming off a string of injuries that had limited him to one fight a year in the past two years coming into the fight with Hatton. I would easily favor that version of Tszyu over Murray by early knockout. I think Murray has a lot of work to do before he’s ready for the big time fighters in the lightweight division and Katsidis would seem like a step too far at this stage in Murray’s career. It wouldn’t matter how many fans show up at the M.E.N Arena to support him, he would still likely get destroyed by Katsidis. Mitchell packed in over 20,000 fans last weekend at Upton Park and a lot of good it did him. He still got destroyed.
Tags: 28 Responses to “John Murray wants fight with Katsidis”
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the fight’s people want to see is murray v khan, murray v mitchell or murray v katsidis come on mr hennesey its not rocket science??? cut out the boxing politics & stand up to the plate!!
john murray after 30 fights needs to get his teeth into a meaty fight against the likes of mitchell/katsidis.. this i think would bring the best out in him, at the moment he is just going through the motions, so you would expect him to have the odd off night, and well done to the lad for calling out the likes of khan, katsidis etc.. at least he wants the true meaningful fights, and not the easy put up ones you see most of the time!!
well done john!!!!!
Another KO for Katsidis if this goes ahead!!
katsidis might deserve the big name fights, but i cant imagine any of the other belt holders would be rushing to fight him. Khan would be crazy to fight him, he would get knocked out 100% certain. Katsidis said he enjoyed fighting in england in front of the big crowd at upton park. if he fought murray at the M.E.N it would be a 20,000 sellout and not a bad fight for him to take if he cant face another beltholder. Murray is a game fighter and would give it his best shot, but katsidis is several levels above anyone Murray has fought before and he would most probably get stopped too.
Mitchell is faster and more powerful than Murray but Murray has a better work rate and arguably a better chin, he has yet to be really troubled in his last five fights he has shown to be patient and good at pacing himself. Remember the Buckland fight was a late notice.
murray is a bum… when khan was a reackless bum, with chin up in the air plus full of faults and nobody, khan beat murray, outboxed the hell out of him…by then khans defense was shaddy and no where near world class, i wonder what he will do to him now…FORGET IT!!!
khan and murray fought a few year back in the amateurs.. murray dropped khan in the 1st then khan got up to win on points.. murray is an agressive fighter but will have is hands full with katsidis..
@ann-i disagree about mitchells chin hes never been knocked down pro or amature aven when he got stopped he still didnt go down?
@Eric – is it a problem for you that a man of asian heritage is a world champion fighting for britain? Or what about a black man like haye? Or a Pole like Carl Froch…?
kevin glass chin mitchell has no chance beating murray
I think Mitchell Murray would make an interesting match.
Katsidis = The Anglo Killer. Can Murray beat Earls record of lasting more than 5 rounds with the Spartan?
@ eric calslappy UNDEFEATED something kon cannot do not now not ever just like naz
ANOTHER BIG MOUTH BRIT. ONE WONDER WHAT EXCUSE HE WOULD COME WITH WHEN HE GETS MURDERED,”I HAD TO SLEEP IN THE PUB” IS THE ONE IAM BETTING ON.
WHo is John Murray?
Katsidis is a bigger challenge than maidana, and khan is stupid to line him up as a fall guy before august for his ramadadadan. Murray or mitchell would have served as two easy wins, but to make it interesting he should fight both on the same night at least we will get too see two kos
I see what you are saying, Khan does have the more hunger and discipline, even though he has made more money. Murray is rubbish really.
These guys are a disgrace to White People. We now have a akistani as the golden boy of british boxing when there are so many White men in Boxing. How can you expect to excel at a sport when all you want to do is drink 10 cans a day? Mitchell was rumoured to have been out partying and drinking before the fight. murray is known to do the same. And then you have the king Fatty hatton. Disgrace to my race.
why
How can he challenge Katsidis when he couldnt beat Yousaff al hamidi. Which is on youtube. I cant beleive he thinks he is in the level of Khan or even katsidis, Mitchell V Murray would be a match more at Murrays level and he would lose that too.
lol at murray fighting anyone near Katsidis level. Mitchell would even beat this idiot and he got spanked the other night.
This would be a tear-up!
murry shud fight mitchell
Laughable, Katsidis is way to good for this level of fighter these days, he could probably fight Mitchell, Murray and I would throw in Earl again for good measure, all in one night and not break a sweat! I notice people on this forum knocking Katsidis, but they are way off, I would much rather see him fight Khan than all but the top three light welterweights, he would be just as big a challenge as Maidana.
Murray is living in dream land. Completley agree with this article. Why should Katsidis fight another British figher who hasn’t achieved anything on the world stage yet?
He deserves bigger fights, and is nearing the end of his fighting prime. He shuld be looking at Marquez, a rematch with Diaz, then maybe stepping up to light welter.
Why Murray thinks he should entertain the idea of boxing for peanuts in Murrays back yard is beyong me. Katsidis is a legitimate star. Very crude to be sure, but he gives bang for your buck and doesnt know how to be in a boring fight.
Murray needs to box Mitchell first before he starts banging on about Katsidis. Mitchell unfortunately could prove to be nothing more than a gatekeeper to the elite at lightweight and Murray needs to get through him first. Of that however, I have serious doubts.
murray is another junior witter calling out any fighter who is headlining the news just to turn a few heads, i reckon he should call out prescott like mitchell did and if he wins then the public will start calling for him to fight mitchell,katsidis
Good match up for the neutral … as long as it lasts …
i think murry has a lot of talent but hes worse than mitchell for not taking boxing seriouse anuf i remember a journamen al hamidi got robbed off the decision against murry,then murry came out after the bout admitting a lack of comitment.