Fighting Talk with Martin Murray

Hi Martin. Thanks for agreeing to this interview.  

B: I'd really like to start with your fight against Felix Sturm at the end of last year. Whenever a fight ends in a ‘draw’ there is usually disagreement and many think you won the fight against Sturm. What are your feelings about the results of that fight?

MM: The fight with Sturm was close and a fair result on German soil. If it was over here then maybe I'd have got the decision but I've got no complaints. I've learnt loads from it and it's only going to help me in my future.

B: So far it doesn’t look as if he is going to grant a rematch. What are your feelings about that?

MM: We were under the impression that if the fight was close and especially if it was a draw then we'd get the rematch but he never even entertained us when looking for a new opponent in his next fight. He gave Randy Griffin a rematch and offered Macklin one but he just completely swerved me and I think it's because he knows that if we fought again I would beat him.

Murray vs Sturm

B: Regardless of the result, the Sturm fight puts you at world class level now. Does that make it difficult to get you opponents at the moment?

MM: It has put me on that level but it's only we're I belong. It might be harder to match me up but I don't know if it is cuz I don't get involved in anything like that. I just turn up and train.

B: You work closely with the Army Benevolent Fund, or The Soldier’s Charity, as I believe it is now called. Can you tell us a little about this charity and how you came to be working with them?

MM: I got involved with the ABF through a lad from St. Helens that I met at a charity event who had lost both legs and one of his arms in Afghanistan. We got talking and we're now good friends. He's an ambassador for the ABF and does a lot for them. He's a real inspiration to anyone. I just help to raise awareness for it when I can.

B: Some people are mentioning a fight between you and Billy Joe Saunders. Do you think that would make a good fight and why?

MM: People who are talking about a fight between me and Billy Joe Saunders obviously don't know boxing. It will be a good fight for me but a bad one for him. He isn't ready for me. He's a talented fighter but he isn't on my level just yet. 

B: You won the fourth series of Prizefighter. How did you find the whole Prizefighter experience and how has it helped your career?

MM: Prizefighter was a great experience and it helped my career in a big way. It got me the recognition i deserved and the exposure that i needed.

B: What advice would you give to someone thinking of going into Prizefighter in the future?

MM: I'd tell them to enter it just like I did with Rocky Fielding when he got asked to go in it. Its great to raise your profile and could help to set you up for big things but also expect the worst because it's an hard competition and a little bit of luck is involved.

B: You are undefeated. Does this add pressure going into a fight?

MM: Being undefeated doesn't add pressure when I enter the ring. I'm focussed on winning and that's it.

B: How did you first become involved in boxing?

MM: The neighbourhood where I grew up was a place were everyone had a go at boxing and it was all down to my amateur trainer John Chisnall who was determined to teach people how to box. At my first day in the gym i loved it and knew it was for me. I've always had a pair of gloves from being a young kid though so I suppose it was just in me to be a fighter. 

B: What decided you to turn pro?

MM: I was going nowhere in my life, was stuck in a rut and I knew I had to do something about it so I turned to what I knew best. I'd had quite a lay off and in the mean time my amateur trainer had sadly died so I went to a good friend of mine John Lyon who got me a couple of amateur fights to help get the ball rolling and then I decided to turn pro. The reason I turned pro was to try and make something of my life.

B: Which boxers have inspired you most in your boxing career and style?

MM: Jamie Moore has been a massive inspiration to me as a fighter. You had to spar him to know how good he was. The first time I sparred him I knew that I needed to take abit of his style and add it to my own. 

B: How do you mentally prepare for a fight? Do you have any last-minute habits or rituals?

MM: I don't have any last minute habits or rituals before I fight. I mentally prepare by putting all the hard work in weeks and weeks before and thinking positive. I also think of where I want to be and how I won't let the man I'm fighting stop me from getting there. 

B: Can you outline a typical training day?

MM: A typical training day for me will consist of being up at 7.30am to get in the gym for 9am. I'll do my boxing training then which can be anything from sparring to pads or circuits to bag work. I'll then go home to rest for a few hours before I go for my strength session or run depending what day it is. It's all about recovering then til I'm back doing the same thing again the day after. Saturday is sprints day and Sunday is my day off.

B: I’d like to ask about these steps I’ve seen you jumping. How many steps can you currently jump?

MM: Ha! A lot of people ask me about these steps. I'm currently on 6 with weights in my hands. 7 is a massive ask but it can be done.

The Steps: Personally I think Martin's working on a spectacular new ring entrance for his next outing in Germany.

B: What aspect of training do you least enjoy and why?

MM: The training I enjoy least are sprints because I'm not a good runner and my body isn't built for running. I'm always doing them tho and I'll never give anything other than 110%.

B: What would you say are your greatest strengths as a boxer?

MM: I'd say that my strengths as a boxer would definitely be my determination and my mindset. I’ve also got a good boxing brain. 

B: What advice would you give to anyone thinking of starting boxing?

MM: My advice would be not to do it.ha. Only joking! I'd tell them not to do it half heartedly. It's a tough sport at the best of times and if your going to do it do it proper. Don't fuck about and always train hard!

B: Who has been your toughest opponent so far and why?

MM: My toughest opponent up to now was a Georgian called Shalva Jomardashvili. We both had 10 weeks training for it and he come wanting to win and put it on me for 6 rounds. I won on points but would have had him out of there had it been an 8 rounder. I also had a cold which made it that bit harder. Macklin fought the same guy to win the European title but he took the fight on 2 weeks notice and wasn't fit. Had he been fit there's no 2 ways about it that he would of beat him.

B: How do you feel an online presence, such as social networking via twitter or Facebook, this can help a boxer with his career?

MM: I think Twitter is great because you get to talk to people who genuinely love boxing and also support you as a fighter so it's good to interact with them. You do get the odd knobhead popping up giving you shit but people who do that just show the type of people that they are and that's dickheads! Its all fun and games though and in general it's brilliant for boxers because you get the chance to raise your profile, promote fights and also talk to other people in the fight game that you wouldn't usually talk to. You can find me at @martinmurraybox if anybody reading this is interested.

B: Who would you most like to fight at this time in your career and why?

MM: I'd like a rematch with Sturm because I'm confident I'd beat him and become world champion which is what I aim to be. I'd also like some big domestic fights aswel because there's some great fights out there for me and that's what I want to be involved in. It would be better for everyone involved though if there was something on the line like a world title. 

B: So what’s next on the cards in the coming year?

MM: I'm next out on June 16th in Manchester and that's going to be a title fight. Not too sure which one yet though. After that I'm hoping to be out around September/October in some sort of big fight.

B: Before signing off is there anything you would like to say to your supporters reading this interview?

MM: I'd just like to say as always, thank you for the support and please keep supporting me cuz it's going to be a big few years. 

B: Thanks again Martin for agreeing to this interview. I know how busy you are and I appreciate the time you take out to do this. Good luck with everything and especially with that rematch.