Martin Murray defeated Domenico Spada in Monte Carlo over the weekend, and will return on February 21 when he's scheduled to face WBA and IBO middleweight champion Gennady "GGG" Golovkin. Tom Loeffler, Golovkin's promoter, said that Murray was the biggest name both available and willing to face Golovkin.
"We feel Martin Murray is the best challenger possible," Loeffler said. "We feel he beat Sergio Martinez in Argentina and Sturm in Germany and we think he beats the other champions. I'd say Martin Murray would beat (titleholder) Jermain Taylor and (champion) Miguel Cotto. Gennady against Murray is a fight between the two best middleweights. (But) I think Gennady's knockout streak will continue."
Golovkin is still searching for a name opponent to fight to raise his profile and become a pay-per-view star, but it appears that won't come until late in 2015. Golovkin has repeatedly called out WBC champion Cotto, but he's expected to take on Canelo Alvarez instead in May. Top Rank CEO Bob Arum said that Canelo vs. Cotto is the priority, with the winner in line to face Golovkin next.
"That's what we're trying to do. Have Cotto and Canelo fight, and Gennady is right there, probably could fight the winner," Arum said.
Cotto isn't the only big name Golovkin has chased to no avail; talks with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. broke down earlier this year, leading to Golovkin's most recent bout with Marco Antonio Rubio getting made. Golovkin knocked out an overweight Rubio in less than two rounds.
"We couldn't get (Julio Cesar) Chavez Jr., Miguel Cotto or Canelo (Alvarez) to fight us next. We have to wait until after the (likely) Cotto-Canelo fight is done, so Murray is the best available opponent for me," Golovkin said.
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