Out in Monte Carlo last night, it was not to be third time lucky as far as Martin Murray goes when it comes to winning a world title.
Last night Murray was up against the WBA middleweight fighting machine Gennady Golovkin and pundits knew that the St Helens fighter faced an enormous task.
Murray, 32-years of age, had never been on the canvas ahead of the fight last night and the UK fighter believed that he could provide an upset.
Murray started the fight well, giving as good as he got when Golovkin came forward but the first signs of the extraordinary champions power came in round three when Murray was caught with a powerful right hand.
The fourth hand saw Murray dropped to the canvas thanks to some sickening body punches landed by Golovkin but against the odds though Murray survived to hear the bell.
His resolve tested, Murray hung on in the middle rounds and gave as good as he got but Golovkin upped the pace in the tenth round and once again Murray was down thanks to a big right hand punch.
Murray, once again, survived to hear the bell but the end was to come in the eleventh round when Golovkin poured on the pressure forcing the referee to step in and stop the fight.
After the fight Murray praised Golovkin, who might now be forced to step-up a weight seeing as decent opponents at middleweight are avoiding him, remarking,
‘Gennady Golovkin is strong and tough. I couldn’t have done any more – I gave it my all and that’s the best I can do. It wasn’t good enough tonight and I’m absolutely gutted, but he’s a great fighter and a great champion. There was not much more that I could have done.’
Honest words from a fighter who, it seems, is destined to fall short when it comes to being a world champion.
Golovkin Stops Murray in 11th Round
