Tuesday 1 September 2015 19:21, UK
Martin Murray says he's happy to return to Germany to take on WBO super-middleweight champion Arthur Abraham.
The St Helens fighter (31-2-1-KO14) takes on Jose Miguel Torres (31-6-KO27) on Saturday night live on Sky Sports and knows becoming only the second man to stop the Colombian would take him closer to world title fights against the likes of Abraham and WBA champion Fedor Chudinov.
Looking ahead to Torres, Murray said: "He can obviously punch. He's only been stopped once by the big-punching David Lemieux. When he steps up in class, he gets beat but he's tough and he can clearly punch. He's awkward and hard to pin down too.
"I'm expecting a few challenges with him being able to punch and knowing how to survive so I've just got to go in there and do my own thing. We'll see how the fight unfolds then.
I would go back to Germany to fight Abraham. I wouldn't mind going back there. Obviously I'd rather have it here but beggars can't be choosers so I'll take whatever I can get.
"You don't knock 27 people out in 31 wins if you can't punch but the way I'm feeling, regardless of who I'm fighting, they're going to get it. I'm feeling really good and have had a great camp. I'm chomping at the bit.
"I'm going in there to do some damage and get the stoppage. I'm not going in there to do 12 rounds. If it goes 12 rounds then I'll be disappointed. The way things have been looking at the gym, people like this shouldn't be going 12 rounds with me.
"If I go in there and stop him before the seventh, which is when Lemieux got him out of there, then that's what I'm looking for. I can't comment on how other people will judge it but I'm going in there to get a win and a win in style.
"The winner of Chudinov v Buglioni would be good. If Buglioni it would be great because we could have a domestic fight for a world title. If Chudinov wins, hopefully we could get him over her. I'm happy about it because I want to win a world title.
"I'll keep myself away from it and just train hard but it is a possibility. The main thing I've got to do is force myself in to a mandatory position. If I win in style on Saturday night then it might bump me up the rankings."
Murray, 32, has fought for a world title in Germany before. In 2011, he suffered an agonising and controversial split draw decision against Felix Sturm with the WBA Super middleweight title on the line - but remains prepared to go back there to fight Germany's Abraham.
Murray added: "I'd love the Arthur Abraham fight. It'd be in Germany so you're always up against it. Chudinov you could get over here if he wins. It's quite hard from a personal point of view with the WBA because do you look at the regular world champion and the Super champion? It's all a bit confusing.
"I would go back to Germany to fight Abraham. The Sturm fight was too soon for me. I went straight from fighting Nick Blackwell for the British title straight to fighting Sturm, and he'd been a world champion for years. I wouldn't change it because the experience I gathered at middleweight is invaluable.
"I wouldn't mind going back there. Obviously I'd rather have it here but beggars can't be choosers so I'll take whatever I can get. I just fight and fight who I get told to fight. If the Abraham fight comes up, that'll be great. Same with Chudinov. Otherwise I'll just keep stepping up in class and building up to a world title."
Since moving up from middleweight, Murray has dispatched George Beroshvili and Mirzet Bajrektarevic in two and five rounds respectively.
His clash with Torres is part of another stellar night of boxing that also includes Tony Bellew and Josh Warrington defending his Commonwealth featherweight title against Joel Brunker.
