Murray eyes Geale for St. Helens showdown

Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor

Briton willing to challenge two-belt champion

Former world title challenger Martin Murray has immediately thrown his hat into the ring to face new WBA and IBF middleweight title holder Daniel Geale after witnessing the Aussie dethrone Felix Strum in Germany last night.

The St. Helens man, who pushed Sturm to a draw in December last year, has no problems in travelling to Geale’s backyard for the potential fight, but manager Neil Marsh believes that the fight could be huge on Murray’s own turf.

“Martin respectfully congratulated Geale and his team at the post-fight press conference on a fine performance and spoke to them with regards to making the Geale vs Murray fight,” Marsh told World Boxing News.

“He is willing to travel to Australia if needed to make the fight, however with Martin eyeing a sell-out hometown fight at his beloved St. Helens Rugby League Club’s Langtree Park, a possible 15,000 fans would pay to watch this spectacle and make this the better financial location to entice the well-travelled Geale to leave his country once again. 

“Geale is never scared to fight in anyone’s backyard and this gives the fight as a great chance of happening.

“Martin has tremendous backing from the rugby league team which makes it all more interesting with the rugby league connection of Australia and England.”

Geale, 31, pulled off a Murray-esque performance in Oberhausen last night to out-work Sturm and add his WBA belt to the IBF version he already possessed and the smart money may be on a home defence, before ‘The Real Deal’ considers his options.

The clash could have merits to happen in spring or summer 2013 to make it a huge outdoor event in Briton, although the WBA may want Geale to face ‘regular’ champion Gennady Golovkin following his impressive win over Grzegorz Proksa last night.

For Murray, there remains plenty of options in the interim, with a fight against Frenchman Julien Sainte-Marie said to be in the pipeline this year, leaving a challenge against Geale in 2013 a mouth-watering prospect.