By Terence Dooley
Manchester’s John Murray is set to take on Anthony Mezaache for the EBU lightweight title early next year. The 24-year-old British champion is hoping to use the fight, which may also double as a WBC eliminator, as a springboard for a domestic showdown with Kevin Mitchell.
Mitchell, 25, out-boxed Colombian dangerman Breidis Prescott in Newcastle last Saturday night, the Dagenham boxer mentioned Murray’s name at the post-fight presser; John believes that a clash with Kevin would set the British boxing scene alight.
“I think it is a massive fight,” declared Murray, who is 28-0 (16). “I’m up for the European in January and Kevin’s just won that WBO interim title so this time next year we can hopefully both be there or thereabouts at world title level and could fight each other as title holders. The days of Benn, Watson and Eubank were great for British boxing and me and Mitchell could the closest you can get to bringing those days back.”
Murray was in the Metro Radio Arena on Saturday night, he believes that Mitchell, 30-0 (22), came of age when out-pointing Prescott. “I thought Kevin was really good”, revealed Murray, “he went in there with a gameplan and stuck to it, he hardly got hit with a shot in the contest and when he did get hit he showed he was up to it and has a good chin. He outboxed the Columbian and made it look easy - it was class.”
British fans are now talking about the possibility of a Murray-Mitchell showdown, ideally with a couple of titles on the line. Murray, who also revealed that he wouldn’t mind grabbing Kevin’s WBO inter-continental strap, believes that a North-South showdown between himself and Mitchell would be a blood-and-guts battle.
“He’d come to fight and I’d come to fight. I don’t think it would be the same as the Prescott fight where Mitchell gets on his bike and goes running – he’d stand with me,” stated Murray.
“It could be a shootout between two guys with decent chins and power. It would be exciting for as long as it lasted. Kevin wants the fight, I want the fight and it would be a great fight for British boxing – I’d love it.
“We have both had very similar careers, both turned pro aged eighteen and in 2003, both are undefeated and have similar records. We are both looking for the next challenge and when I win this European title in January we could be looking at a massive fight with me and Kevin around the summertime.”
He concluded: “I strongly fancy it. I think he is good and awkward but I’ll be too big and strong for him, I’ll also have a bit too much speed and quality for him. I’ll hopefully have him out off there in five or six rounds and make a statement.”
First, though, there is the small matter of Mezaache. The 31-year-old Frenchman upset Jon Thaxton’s applecart in February; he has never been stopped and showed a lot of ring-intelligence and heart to overcome Thaxton. Mezaache has since made a successful defence of his title by out-pointing Andrei Kudriavtsev. Murray insists that he is fully cognisant of the dangers posed by Anthony but is confident that victory will be his.
“Thaxton gave him a really good fight, it was close on the scorecards and Thaxton felt he won that one. With me and Thaxton people saw how easy it was for me and I think me and Mezaache are in different leagues. Mezaache will realise it on the night and I’m going to take that European belt off him,” roared Murray, who stopped Thaxton in four rounds in October.
“I’ve had three good wins this year, three British title fights and three stoppage wins. That is what I needed. My last four fights have all been for the British title and I’ve won all four by stoppage. The better the opponent the better I fight. Fighting Mezaache for this title will bring out the best of me and you’ll see the best of me over the next few years.”
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