Martin Murray Moving Up in the World in His Bid to Win a Title

Martin Murray has never shirked a challenge in a career that has taken him places in Europe, South America and South Africa.

The St Helens fighter has fallen short three times in title challenges at middleweight. On each occasion, he has left the ring with his reputation enhanced, rather than with a major belt around his waist.

He took world champions Felix Sturm and Sergio Martinez the distance, even knocking the latter down in his own back yard.

Earlier this year, Murray went on the road again, this time travelling to Monaco as he attempted to end Gennady Golovkin’s perfect professional record.

The Englishman did manage something no one fighter had done before: He took GGG into an 11th round for the first time.

However, Murray eventually succumbed to the Kazakh. It was not quite Monte Carlo or bust, but the defeat meant he was in danger of becoming one of the sport’s nearly men.

The defeat to Sturm in 2011, though, was his nearest miss so far.

Scott Heavey/Getty Images

Away in Germany, he matched the WBA champion all the way. In his report for the Telegraph, Gareth A. Davies wrote: “The performance from Murray showed his will and heart, and no little skill, signalling his arrival at world level against a proven champion.”

Yet the judges didn’t think he had done enough. While one had Murray the winner, another said Sturm was victorious by four rounds. The third, crucially, scored it all square.

The draw meant Sturm held on to his belt, albeit only just. Murray said afterwards, per Davies’ story: “I knew I was world class, that I had it in me, and I’ll come back and win a world title.”

The 32-year-old has yet to achieve his aim three-and-a-half years later, so he has decided to make a change.

Murray has signed a deal to join Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing stable. His first fight is already set for June 26 in Liverpool, though, an opponent is yet to be confirmed.

A new promoter isn’t the only switch Murray has made. He has also announced that his next fight will be at super middleweight.

He explained his reasons for the decision in an interview with Sky Sports:

"

We've said for a long time now though that being at middleweight is affecting my power, my strength and speed. Those last couple of pounds take a bit away.

We've done what we can at middleweight for the time being so I'm stepping up. Super-middleweight is great domestically and we have world class and world champion fighters. It's a great division to be in and I'm looking forward to the new venture.

"

It is an aggressive move, one that opens up a number of possibilities for potential fights, as Hearn confirmed on Twitter:

Joining Matchroom could open doors—James DeGale, the current IBF champion, is part of the same promotion team, while Hearn has a good working relationship with Team Sauerland, who have WBO champion Arthur Abraham and George Groves on their books.

There are opportunities at super middleweight, and he even confirmed to Sky Sports that he would consider dropping back down again to 160 pounds: "I'm willing to make middleweight again like I said, if the right fight comes along. I'd love the fight with Andy Lee."

But those extra few pounds could produce that extra bit of power, and that could prove all the difference for Murray. His quest to become a world champion goes on.