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Manchester's John Murray has decided against travelling to America for a proposed fight with Henry Lundy and will instead wait for his long-awaited EBU lightweight title shot. [Click Here To Read More]
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Murray often complains about not getting enough opportunities, and now he's turned down a fight on Showtime against an undefeated prospect in order to sit on the shelf a while longer? I think that's a bad move, especially as his promoter doesn't have a UK TV contract at the moment.
Who cares about chasing after a vacant European title? I don't think it advances his career much. -
figures.
lundy wouldve beat the sht out of him.Comment
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I dont understand how as a fighter that is virtually unknown to the American public(as Murray is) turns down an opportunity to fight on showtime, but is known to complain about exposure.......where they do that at?Comment
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Probably a good move as he got outboxed by a journeyman last time he went stateside.Comment
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speakin as a brit boxing fan, and a mancunian one at that, I don't really think Murray is anything special from what I've seen. We have some good up and coming fighters who can potentially compete at world level, like Brook, Cleverley, Mitchell and a few others, but I'm not a big Murray fan. I think Guzman will school him in sparring as well.Comment
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Wotcha guys, thanks for the reads. There has been talk about Murray's inactivity on this very site but you have to consider the circumstances for this one. Murray started training for this date even when it wasn't set it stone. Then it was down as Mezaache a few weeks ago only for Mezaache to withdraw.
The latest opponent was finalised recently and, factoring in travel time and fight week, left Murray with barely two weeks to prepare for this opponent. Throw in travelling abroad, the relative inexperience of the local judges and the distance of rounds and you can sympathise with Murray. Lundy also thickened the plot by declaring, on this site, that he is waiting for a bigger fight, so no guarantee that it would have been made.
Murray is not prepared to take a fight like this at such short notice and under these conditions, especially with purse bids for the EBU fight due later this month. The EBU belt brings a higher WBC ranking with it and, whatever you think of Lundy, Henry did not offer this. It was a 'all to lose and nothing much to gain' situation.
Yes, Murray has asked for fights, specifically the EBU fight and is now waiting it out until the bids go through. If Hennessy cannot make the fight then someone else will and Murray will take the fight. Lundy would have been a good match up but the notice was short and the timing was wrong.
The EBU is a good route into a title shot, ask Mezaache who is looking to sit on the ranking the belt gained him ahead of a possible title shot.
As for Lundy, tapes were viewed but this did not influence the decision. Lundy does not look particularly good.Comment
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he looks better than murray who looks like a typical stiff.
no upper body,head movement. he just walks straight in with his guard up, behind a weak or non-existent jab. average to below average hand speed and is completely open to shots in b/t punches.
lundy would bruise and batter that stiff with his hand speed and activity level.
murray struggled last time he came to the US vs a journeyman and also looked terrible vs a 4-8 fighter.
he's at best a top level domestic fighter.Comment
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@Siggy. Yeah he might want the EBU strap but that strap can only be used to set as a negotiation tool for a slightly bigger fight IMHO. The showtime date would of given him a bigger audiance to show case his skills, put on a good performance, and get on the "American" radar. As you know sometimes it's not what you are scrappin for ie. EBU Belt, but where you are scrappin at ie. Showtime fight card.
@Neckodeemus. I dont have too much infor on Murray, and I say that to say this, I'm not sure where his true intentions lay. When I do get a chance to read something about him, he is usually trying to vie for recognition and I have not seen too much title talk comming from him. I agree with you though, in respects to if he is on a strap hunt, then the EBU is a good start. But sometimes straps and recognition outside of hardcore boxing fans don't go hand in hand. But from what I know about Hennessy he has a rough time getting most of his fighters "big" venues, so with Murray turning this one from Showtime down, it doesnt seem as such a good idea if he plans on sticking with Hennessy, ya know?Comment
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