The past weekend’s fight for the WBC Interim middleweight title, between Marco Antonio Rubio and Domenico Spada, has freed things up in the division, potentially clearing a path for Martin Murray.
Rubio, the number one contender, became the first man to stop Spada (rated two), doing so in the 10th round of their fight in Mexico.
Spada will now fall out, but the division is so fluid that Murray could find himself ranked second within weeks. This is because third-ranked Miguel Cotto challenges Sergio Martinez in June. If Cotto wins or loses, Murray would automatically move up. There is also the potential of Martinez quitting before year’s end.
“The point of all this,” explained Golden Gloves promoter Rodney Berman, “is that we are getting there.”
Presumably he means a title shot, whether against the winner of Cotto-Martinez or perhaps even Daniel Geale, who is ranked one higher than Murray.
Murray fights in SA in a fortnight, but it’s an open secret that Berman is aiming to secure a major fight for the Englishman in Monte Carlo in November. Given the status of those bills, a world championship would be the natural choice for the popular English boxer.
Berman, of course, also enjoys excellent relations with Tom Loeffler, who manages WBA champion Gennady Golovkin. However, this picture is clouded by Murray being unranked by the WBA.
Yet the boxing world moves in mysterious ways and such impediments often have a way of being cleared.
Meanwhile, the April 23 bill has been concluded with an additional pair of fights.
They include popular Grant Fourie against Luyando Jako (junior-welterweight, six rounds) and Ranson Hobyane versus Page Tshesane (super-middleweight, six rounds).
