NXTGEN: Joe Murray wants to follow in brother's footsteps and win British title
Thursday 22 February 2018 11:22, UK
Joe Murray has set his sights on taking the British lightweight title off Lewis Ritson and bringing it back into his family.
The Mancunian challenges the champion on home soil on Sunday night, topping the NXTGEN bill, live on Sky Sports.
Murray's brother and trainer, John, held the Lonsdale belt between 2008-2010, before moving onto European level.
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Former Mancunian world champions Anthony Crolla and Terry Flanagan also started off with domestic honours, but Joe Murray wants to do more than bring the title back to Manchester.
"My brother never actually lost a British title fight, he gave it up," Murray exclusively told Sky Sports. "He won it outright, defended it four times and it means a lot.
"I see that belt everyday on my mum's mantelpiece, so it is a big thing for me to go and get. I've got to go out and win that title my brother won, outright.
"I have seen him do it so in my head I just think 'why can't I do it?' Sometimes he played at the game and still won that British title, so I am looking at it and I am working hard, so why can't I go and win it?
"As I say, he never lost it in the ring, so all we are saying is they have been keeping it warm for us and now we are going to bring it back into the family."
Joe Murray's title challenge against Ritson will see him box at the Victoria Waterhouse Hotel for the fourth time in his last five fights.
The 31-year-old has represented Great Britain in the 2008 Olympic Games, and boxed at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and Manchester Arena as a professional, but is looking forward to returning to the "old school, small hall" venue.
"He's got to expect that everyone on the card will come to fight and that's what everybody loves on the boxing side of Manchester," said Murray.
"No-one will ever come up and write themselves off. Every person who fights in Manchester wants to win and be the best. What he's going to know is, he's in a fight. I won't take a single step backwards to try and make him think he isn't.
"He's in a fight on Sunday night and hopefully I will rip that title off him."
Watch Lewis Ritson's British title fight with Joe Murray on a packed JDNXTGEN bill, starting at 7pm on Sunday March 25, live on Sky Sports Action.
