Murray Makes Moves

John Murray produced a breathtaking display to stop Lee Meagre in the fifth round and win the vacant British Light-weight title. The fight billed as a local derby was touted as a fight of the year contender, and neither fighter disappointed.

Right from the first bell, both fighters traded punches, Meagre deciding that going toe-to-toe with Murray was a smart strategy. It wasn’t, and it backfired spectacularly. For all the heart and bravery that he possessed it wasn’t the sensible thing to do. Instead of fighting Murray he should have boxed him.

Meagre was hurt early in the second, a bruise under his left eye, looked as though it may have given him difficulty seeing Murray, and he found himself cut above his right eye, all this and only two rounds gone.

The problem for Meagre was Murray couldn’t miss him, everything he through landed and he was also boxing sensibly, conserving energy and looked brand new after the fight. Meagre on the other hand looked like a man who had been to war. He had taken shots that in my opinion would have sent Khan and Gomez crashing to the canvas.

The crowd in Wigan were treated to great display of bravery from both men, and would have gone home happy, but Meagre, a former British champion may wake up in the morning and feel he tactically got it wrong. Nothing he did hurt his opponent, and Meagre was for too easy to hit. Towards the fourth round he was becoming a punch bag for the clinical Murray, and fears for Meagre's health became were becoming an issue.

The referee stopped the fight in the fifth after Meagre took a crunching left, which shook him, his knees were going and he walked onto another right. That was enough, the fight was halted and Murray and his corner celebrated a memorable victory against a brave opponent.

In the post fight interview, Murray was quick to thank Meagre for his effort and performance and questioned why Amir Khan was trying to fight at world level, when he hadn’t beaten the best England has to offer.

In my opinion Khan and Frank Warren wouldn’t want to fight some of the men in this division. Kevin Mitchell and Carl Johansson would give Khan a good fight and in the case of Mitchell probably beat him, if he fought tactically.

There was an interesting fight on the under card. Two undefeated boxers Nadeem Sideqque (22-0) and Martin Gethin (14-0-1) went to battle and produced a fight that could have headlined any venue. Both men had something to prove, but Nadeem more so, being 30 and having not progressed the way he should have. Even more surprising he is a Brendan Ingle fighter and he and Ingle know they should have had more challenging fights.

The action from the off was furious both exchanging early on, but Nadeem making better use of the body shots and landing the more visible shots. Although Gethin was standing his ground, he was being forced to do more of the dirty work.

The fight carried on the same vein into the latter rounds. Nadeem asserting himself, and was edging the fight heading into the seventh. At the start of the round he was caught by Gethin and forced to hold for a good 25 seconds of the round, he looked shaky and unstable, and if Gethin could have landed another one or two quality shots it would have been lights out.

As it happens Nadeem recovered and mounted a comeback, getting Gethin on the ropes and unleashing a flurry of body shots, he looked like he was going to end the round ahead but, with seconds remaining was caught flush by a straight left, sending shivers down his spine and his legs to wobble, he looked in trouble and the referee intervened.

After watching replays I still think the referee stopped it to quickly, if compared to the stoppage in the main event than he stopped it really, really early. I think with the round practically over and there only being one more round, he could have done better.

A good victory for Gethin who could be a potential opponent for the new British Light-weight champion.