Golovkin: Martin Murray is the best middleweight fighter from Europe

By Boxing News - 10/31/2014 - Comments

golovkin5By Scott Gilfoid: WBA Super World middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) will be back in action in the next four months against former two time world title challenger Martin Murray (29-1-1, 12 KOs) on February 21st in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Murray, #1 WBC, has the rankings to make this a potentially good fight, but it’s unclear if he has the power, hand speed and talent to make this a competitive fight. Golovkin seems to think he does, as he rates Murray as the best of the European middleweights right now.

That’s a pretty big compliment considering that the division has two very good 160 pound fighters in Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam and Matt Korobov. I’m sure either of these guys would have something to say about Golovkin proclaiming Murray, a fighter who has failed on both attempts at the world stage, as the best middleweight in Europe.

“Martin Murray, he’s from Europe,” Golovkin said to Jim Lampley. “He’s best. I remember he lost to just Sergio Martinez in a very close fight. He’s the best fighter right now from Europe. I think it’s a good fight for everybody.”

What you have to remember about Murray’s fight against Sergio Martinez is he lost to him despite the fact that Martinez had an injured left hand and a torn up right knee. This is the same Martinez that Miguel Cotto easily beat last June.

“Golovkin seems to be the best middleweight in the world,” HBO commentator Max Kellerman said. “Matt Korobov and Peter Quillin might be favored against Martin Murray. And Miguel Cotto knocked out Martinez, and Martinez won a close points decision over Martin Murray. To say Martin Murray is top five, I could go with that. To say he’s the one of the top two best middleweights in the world, at this point it’s a little bit of a stretch.”

I have to agree with Kellerman. Murray hasn’t shown anything in the past that would suggest that he’s the No.2 middleweight in the division. He’s also not shown that he’s a better fighter than N’Dam or Korobov. Both of those guys look really solid right now, and I couldn’t see Murray beating either of those guys.



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