By Rick Reeno
Wynn Resort & Casino, Las Vegas - Some very important fights are coming up in the super middleweight division.
One those fights is a WBO super middleweight showdown between champion Arthur Abraham (43-4, 29KOs) of Germany and British challenger Martin Murray (32-2-1, 15KOs), which takes place on November 21 at the Tui Arena in Hannover.
The winner has been ordered, by the World Boxing Organization, to face mandatory challenger Gilberto Ramirez (32-0, 24KOs) in the first quarter of 2016.
Ramnirez has a stay-busy fight on November 20th, when he faces Gevorg Khatchikian in a TruTV televised main event from the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.
Ramirez's promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, has already spoken with HBO - and they are completely on board with picking up a title fight with Abraham.
But, Arum has his doubts about the outcome of Abraham's fight.
"Let's see if Abraham can beat Murray. I don't think he beats Murray. There is no problem [with HBO picking up Abraham]. HBO has agreed to back the fight - Abraham and Ramirez," Arum said.
If Murray is successful, the situation would change - because Murray's criminal record will prevent him from obtaining a visa to enter the United States.
However, Arum has no problem with sending Ramirez to the UK to face Murray.
"No, [HBO will not back Murray because] - Murray can't come to the Unites States. The English promoters will do it. That's a good fight over there. Maybe [HBO] does a tape delay. It's unfortunate that Murray cant come here. He can't get a visa," Arum said.
As previously reported, Arum is hoping to match Ramirez against current WBO/IBF/WBA middleweight champion Gennady "GGG" Golovkin (34-0, 31KOs) at some point in the next twelve months.
"Probably in the first two or three months [of 2016 we'll do Abraham-Ramirez]. I would like Ramirez, if he beats Abraham, to defend against Golovkin," Arum said.