MURRAY IS A FAN OF ARCH RIVAL
MACKLIN
MARTIN MURRAY insists he will be
cheering on Matthew Macklin in his world title bid next month.
The pair have been locked in a verbal
brawl for a few months and came close to boxing in April, only for
the scrap to fall through.
Macklin challenges Felix Sturm for the
WBA middleweight crown in Cologne on June 25 and Murray is anxious
to face him.
Unbeaten Murray aims to show he is up
to scratch when he makes a Commonwealth title defence against a
selected opponent at Robin Park Arena, Wigan on Saturday June
18.
The St Helens boxer, 28, is ranked
fifth by the WBA and said: "I want to fight Macklin, but I will be
cheering him on against Sturm because I would rather have a British
world champion than a German.
"If the fight can be made then great,
but I am patient and my time will come one day soon.
"I am not one for making predictions,
but if you go on Macklin's last two performances it is hard to pick
him."
Murray also has his eyes on new
European champion Darren Barker and added: "Give me that chance
against Barker and I would take it.
"I am not holding my breath and
realise that right now I need Barker and Macklin a lot more than
they need me so I can understand them not looking at me.
"What have they got to benefit from if
they beat me at the moment, but in time they will be wanting and
needing me.
"I haven't even been a professional
for four years and I have achieved more than they did in their
first four years."
He won the title last July,
outpointing Australian Peter Mitrevski Jr and also holds the WBA
inter-continental crown.
The bill will be televised live on Sky
Sports and among the galaxy of Hatton Promotions prospects on the
undercard including Olympic star Joe Murray.
Tickets for this big night of title
action are available £35, £55 (Ringside) and £75 VIP Ringside
12/05/2011 09:41:31