By Steve Corbo
(Part #1 of 2 )
Nice to see English boxer Martin Murray get some favorable publicity recently, in an article by Ted Sares. Murray, previously featured on www.dmboxing.com is a real Pro. What a career this guy has. His record stands at 39-6-1. In 46 pro fights he was stopped only once, by Triple G, in 2015, for G’s WBA, IBO & WBC Middleweight Titles. He dropped decisions against Sergio Martinez for the WBC World Middleweight Title, dropped a split decision to Arthur Abraham, in Germany, for the WBO World Super Middleweight Title and fought Felix Sturm to a highly controversial Draw, in Germany, with Sturm’s WBA Super World Middleweight Title on the line. He also lost a decision to Billy Joe Saunders, on December 04, 2020 in a bout for the WBO Super Middleweight Title. That’s five (5) shots at a world title and along the way he captured the WBA Interim World Middleweight Title. Hope I got all the alphabets right… but It doesn’t matter. This kid Murray can fight!
Unfortunately none of his fights have been on US soil. For years Murray had been denied a US Visa, due to legal problems. I heard he finally was able to get things straightened out but, as of this date, he has yet to set foot in a US Ring. Perhaps he never will. The losers here have been the US fight fans, who never really got a chance to know Murray or see him fight in person. I sure wish this guy would have come up in Southern California!
I was privileged to be the ring announcer in his fight against Felix Sturm in Mannheim, Germany. This was truly an exhibition of what the “sweet science” is all about. No blow outs. No blood and guts, bombs away, war. What you had were two highly skilled, world class professionals. Both highly technical fighters, boxer-punchers, well-conditioned and evenly matched! They put on a great tactical performance. This was a good, clean, 12 rounds of boxing. The fight was close, although I personally thought Murray won, as did one of the three judges at ringside. But another had the fight even and the third judge had it for Sturm. So Murray came away with a draw…. in a fight most thought he won.
Let’s not forget about Sturm. Another pro’s pro who never seemed to catch on in the USA. If people in the US remember Sturm, it is usually from his 2004 performance against Oscar De La Hoya in Vegas. Most of those at ringside and those who watched the HBO broadcast felt Sturm did more than enough to get the nod. The HBO Broadcast team of Larry Merchant, Jim Lampley, Roy Jones, Jr. and the “Unofficial, Official”, Hall of Famer Harold Lederman all felt Sturm had won the fight. Jones emphatically so, saying about DeLaHoya, just before the decision was announced, “he lost the fight tonight, no doubt!” Lederman scored it 115 -113 for Sturm.
But the judges at ringside saw it differently. All three had it 115 -113 for DeLaHoya. Immediate controversy arose, because a win for Sturm would have squelched the planned mega bucks fight between DeLaHoya and Bernard Hopkins, which took place three months later.
In 2010 he formed Sturm Box-Promotion and began promoting himself. Some felt this led to a tendency to “cherry pick” his opponents and keeping him fighting exclusively in Germany. In a career that spanned 49 professional bouts (41-5-3 w/ 18 wins by KO), the only time we got to see Strum in an American Ring was with DeLaHoya in 2004. After that experience, who can blame him blame him staying in his own backyard? Again, American fans come up on the short end.
Editor’s Note: to my knowledge, the Felix Sturm – Martin Murray fight has never been televised in the USA. Although previously featured on this website, most Americans have never seen this matchup. If you have not seen it before, click on this link, which is the raw feed off of the UK’s Sky Sports. Keep an eye open for former lightweight champ Jim Watt, who is one of the Sky Sports TV announcers, and look for former Welter & Junior Welterweight Champ Ricky Hatton in Murray’s corner, during the introductions! If you like the skill and technical side of boxing, you’ll like this fight.
NOTE: Part #2 scheduled for viewing on Saturday, February 20th
It would be great to see him fight in the USA. How about the NE Coast? Lol