By Alexey Sukachev
Salle des etoiles, Monte Carlo, Monaco - WBC #1, IBF #3 and TBRB #4 middleweight Martin Murray (29-1-1, 12 KOs) got an unsatisfying unanimous technical decision over Italian veteran Domenico Spada (39-6, 19 KOs) in seven rounds to retain his WBC Silver title.
Murray, 32, was a better fighter than Spada, 34, but the Italian remained competitive. He looked for his chance in close quarters but Murray move well in and out of danger, landed some telling blows, and he also cut Spada on his right eye. The cut was found to be too severe for Spada to continue by referee Daniel Van de Viele midst into the seventh round.
It was ruled that the cut was induced by an accidental headbutt, allowing the fight to go to the scorecards.
Final scores were quite confusing for a fight without knockdowns or deducted points: 67-66, 69-67, and 68-63 - for Murray. Official time of stoppage was 1:18 of the seventh round.
Murray now moves in position for a possible fight with WBA/IBO/WBC interim-champion Gennady Golovkin in February.
