Big Bear Lake, CA (December 16, 2014) Following a world wind International Press Tour with stops in Monte Carlo, Astana, London and Mexico City, WBA/IBO and WBC ‘Interim’ Middleweight World Champion GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN has opened training camp in Big Bear Lake, California for his upcoming world title defense against two-time world title challenger MARTIN MURRAY, the WBC’s #1 ranked middleweight.
Golovkin-Murray
Golovkin-Murray: Martin in nearly impossible situation on 2/21
By Scott Gilfoid: #1 WBC, #3 IBF middleweight contender Martin Murray (29-1-1, 12 KOs) has twice fought for world titles in the past three years, and twice he’s come up empty.
In two months from now, Murray, 32, will be getting a third shot at a world title against arguably the best fighter in the 160 pound division in WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs).
Golovkin vs. Murray: Should Gennady move up once he beats Martin?
by Oliver Norager – IBO/WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) faces the durable, but limited Martin Murray (29-1-1, 12 KOs) on the 21 of February in Monte Carlo. This is actually a decent fight for the hard punching Golovkin. Murray is a decent operator with a tight defense, so getting Murray out of his misery early will prove something to the public, because neither Felix Sturm or Sergio Martinez were able to get him out of there, but they don’t have the power that Golovkin has.
Once Murray starts feeling Golovkin punches he will get into survival mode, so expect a blowout in the middle rounds once Murray feels that he can’t compete with the likes of Golovkin.
Golovkin: Martin Murray is the best middleweight fighter from Europe
By 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.
Golovkin: Martin Murray is the best available opponent for me
By Scott Gilfoid: With WBA Super World middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) unable to get WBC 160 pound champion Miguel Cotto or former WBA/WBC 154lb champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez to step inside the ring to face him, Golovkin will need to be satisfied with facing #1 WBC Martin Murray (29-1-1, 12 KOs) on February 21st in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Golovkin sees Murray as a good stay busy fight to keep him from getting rust while he waits for the Cotto-Canelo fight to take place. Once that fight is over with, Golovkin hopes that he can fight the winner. More likely he’ll be ignored by the Canelo-Cotto winner, especially if it’s Cotto, because his promoter Bob Arum is already talking about wanting to match Cotto against Tim Bradley in his next fight.
Why Martin Murray is not the right opponent for GGG
By E. Martinez: Last Saturday evening the next opponent for WBA/IBO/WBC (Interim) Middle Weight Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (31-0, 28 KO’s) was finalized. Martin Murray (29-1-1, 12KO’s) of England was selected to face Golovkin this coming February in Monte Carlo. Murray was chosen after a 7 round technical decision victory over Domenico Spada, in a fight that was a less than exciting affair.
Murray is a durable opponent whose popularity is probably not what it should be at this point in his career due to his inability to fight in the United States for legal reasons. Nonetheless, Murray is best known for two fights, neither of which he won.
Martin Murray: I’m going to stand up to Golovkin
By Scott Gilfoid: #1 WBC, #3 IBF Martin Murray (29-1-1, 12 KOs) earned a title shot against WBA Super World middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) last night with a 7 round technical decision win over #7 WBC Domenico Spada at the Salle des etoiles, in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Murray will be facing Golovkin on February 21st in a fight that will be televised on HBO Championship Boxing in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Murray says he’s not afraid of Golovkin, as he feels he’s got the skills to stand up to him. Murray sees himself as being good enough to beat the other middleweights in the division, and he thinks he’ll be able to pull off an upset on 2/21.
Martin Murray vs. Gennady Golovkin on February 1st
(Martin Murray seen here using his turtle defense against Sergio Martinez) By Scott Gilfoid: #1 WBA, Martin Murray (25-1, 11 KO’s) will be meeting up with WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (28-0, 25 KO’s) in the 31-year-old Murray’s biggest fight of his career on February 1st at the Salle des etoiles, in Monte Carlo, Monaco. I wouldn’t say that this is Golovkin’s toughest fight of his career because he’s been in with Gabriel Rosado and Curtis Stevens, and I rate both of those guys as being better fighters than Murray.
The fight will be interesting to see how well Golovkin does against a large middleweight that tends to cover up a lot. With Murray’s style of hiding behind a high guard for 12 rounds, I’d be very surprised if he’ll be able to make it past the third round wit the way that he leaves his body open in focusing on covering his head.
Martin Murray in the crosshairs for Golovkin’s next fight
By Scott Gilfoid: Interim WBA middleweight champion Martin Murray (25-1, 11 KO’s) is in the cross-hairs for WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin’s next fight in February in Monte Carlo, provided that Murray wins his next fight on December 11th against 35-year-old Australian Garth Wood (12-3-1, 8 KO’s) at the Entertainment Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Murray should win that fight fairly easily to put him in position to either face Golovkin or walk away from the fight, which is what I suspect will happen. The World Boxing Association has made the 31-year-old Murray the mandatory for Golovkin, so that’s who they’ll be looking to fight in February to get it over with. But it’s going to be interesting to see if Murray agrees to take the fight or not, because in the past he’s seemed to freeze up and get tongue-tied when asked about whether he would face Golovkin. I have a feeling that Murray will opt not to take the fight with Golovkin in February or ever for that matter.
Martin Murray: I wasn’t made an offer to fight Golovkin
By Scott Gilfoid: Britain’s Martin Murray (25-1-1, 11 KO’s) is saying that he hasn’t been given an offer from WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin’s team about a fight in November. This is news, because Golovkin’s promoter Tom Loeffler of K2 has reportedly told RingTV that Murray doesn’t want the fight with Golovkin.
Murray says he’s going to be looking to get his visa situation taken care of so that he can travel to the U.S. That’s good news, because there’s no way on Earth that a talent like Golovkin is going to come all the way over to the UK to defend his strap against #1 WBA, #7 WBC, #8 IBF, Murray. That would so backwards if he were to do that. Why accommodate a challenger. Besides, HBO reportedly prefers that Golovkin’s next fight is staged in the U.S if they’re going to televise it.