‘I HAVE UNFINISHED BUSINESS WITH MARTINEZ!’ – MURRAY STOKES THE FLAMES AHEAD OF MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION’S MEGAFIGHT WITH COTTO LIVE ON BOXNATION
Photo by Mark Robinson-Hatton Promotions
LONDON (June 6) – British middleweight Martin Murray says he has unfinished business with WBC champion Sergio Martinez as he eyes a rematch with the sensational Argentine.
The balletic Buenos Aires banger takes on Puerto Rican legend Miguel Cotto this Saturday night in a megafight at New York’s historic Madison Square Garden, live and exclusive on BoxNation.
And, 31-year-old Murray, who ran the slick southpaw Martinez very close last year, losing somewhat contentiously on points in front of a hostile Argentine crowd, believes ‘Maravilla’ will prove too big for Cotto, who is moving up from light-middleweight.
“I think Martinez is going to win. I’ve seen them at the press conference beside each other and Martinez looks a lot bigger. I don’t know if it was the camera angle or what but Martinez just seemed a lot bigger to me,” Murray told BoxNation.
“When I fought Martinez there was a size difference between me and him, so he’s not really the biggest, but I just don’t think Cotto is big enough for middleweight. Martinez is fast and he punches hard and I think he’s going to outwork Cotto.
“I know Cotto himself will be bringing up a lot of qualities but I feel that Martinez is going to beat him,” he said.
However, the St Helens pugilist doesn’t believe that Martinez is unbeatable, and with respected trainer Freddie Roach now in Cotto’s camp he will have a man in his corner who may be able to execute the perfect strategy for the fight.
“Anyone who gets their tactics or gameplan right will beat Martinez. If you make him fall short with his punches everytime he comes in, and don’t stand and be a target for him – those are the right tactics for him,” Murray said.
“That’s the tactics I used, and no doubt Freddie Roach would have been watching his last fight which was against me and working on those types of tactics because he’s a great trainer.
“So having Freddie Roach will be a big advantage for Cotto. However, tactics aside I just think Martinez will come out victorious on the night,” he said.
Murray is currently preparing for his next outing on June 21st when he faces Ukrainian Max Bursak in Monaco, another fight you can see live on BoxNation.
The bout will be for the vacant WBC Silver middleweight title, which could set up a fight with the victor of Martinez and Cotto, something which excites Murray.
“I’ve got to get past my next fight, so obviously I don’t want to look too far ahead. In an ideal world I win my fight, put in a good performance, and that pushes me forward to a fight with the winner of those two, which I would take all day long. My next fight is for the WBC Silver title so maybe that might help. I just leave it to my team but hopefully we can get the winner,” he said.
There is no doubt in Murray’s mind who he would prefer to fight, with the steely middleweight keen to put right the blemishes on his record 29-1-1 record.
“I would fight Cotto and would love to share the ring with him, but I’ve got unfinished business with Martinez. There are two blemishes on my record that I want to put right – Sturm and Martinez,” he said
“I would love a rematch with Martinez, but loving it and getting it are two totally different things. I’m not to sure I would get it but I would like the chance to right the wrongs on my record. I want the rematch with Martinez and hopefully we can get it made,” said Murray.
Martinez vs. Cotto is live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD & Virgin 546) this Saturday night at 2am. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.
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