Abraham vs Murray: Preview of the WBO super-middleweight title bout
Saturday 21 November 2015 21:17, UK
Your one-stop preview of Saturday's WBO super-middleweight title fight between champion Arthur Abraham and Martin Murray, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 8pm.
Live Fight Night
Background
Martin Murray is in familiar territory. In his first world title fight in 2011, he was controversially denied Felix Sturm's WBA Super middleweight belt by a split draw. He then pushed WBC middleweight king Sergio Martinez all the way a year and a half later.
Although he lost his most recent world title bid more clearly - an 11th-round stoppage at the hands of the mighty Gennady Golovkin - Murray is proven at world level and feels that stepping up to super-middleweight is the trigger he needed to finally conquer the world.
In the ageing Abraham, he faces an intimidating presence whose solid punches have kept him at the top for years. Besides a shock defeat to Robert Stieglitz in 2013, Abraham has only lost to Andre Ward, Carl Froch and Andre Dirrell and remains a force to be reckoned with.
What the fighters say
What the experts say
Murray can out-box Abraham for 12 rounds - he will use his footwork but I'm not sure that is enough, especially with the judges out there. I have to go with Abraham on points.
It's so hard to get the win out there but fingers crossed Murray does it - imagine a unification fight at The Emirates next year. I'm hoping Murray can do it points. Unanimous as well.
Moving to super-middleweight will help Murray - he'll have a better engine. I think Murray can break Abraham down in a real firework show of a fight and Murray will win with a late stoppage.
This not the Abraham of old, I am convinced. I've never been so certain that the British challenger comes back as a world champion. I think Murray wins on points. Definitely.
The weigh-in
Abraham: 76.2kg
Murray: 75.4kg
The time draws near...
Abraham v Murray is part of a huge night of Sky Sports boxing that includes Anthony Crolla's second attempt to take Darleys Perez's WBA world lightweight title in Manchester. Live on Sky Sports 1 this Saturday from 8pm.
