Super Middleweight

Martin Murray has never shirked a challenge in a career that has taken him places in Europe, South America and South Africa.

The St Helens fighter has fallen short three times in title challenges at middleweight. On each occasion, he has left the ring with his reputation enhanced, rather than with a major belt around his waist.

He took world champions Felix Sturm and Sergio Martinez the distance, even knocking the latter down in his own back yard.

Earlier this year, Murray went on the road again, this time travelling to Monaco as he attempted to end Gennady Golovkin’s perfect professional record.

The Englishman did manage something no one fighter had done before: He took GGG into an 11th round for the first time.

However, Murray eventually succumbed to the Kazakh. It was not quite Monte Carlo or bust, but the defeat meant he was in danger of becoming one of the sport’s nearly men.

The defeat to Sturm in 2011, though, was his nearest miss so far.

Away in Germany, he matched the WBA champion all the way. In his report for the Telegraph, Gareth A. Davies wrote: “The performance from Murray showed his will and heart, and no little skill, signalling his arrival at world level against a proven champion.”

Yet the judges didn’t think he had done enough. While one had Murray the winner, another said Sturm was victorious by four rounds. The third, crucially, scored it all square.

The draw meant Sturm held on to his belt, albeit only just. Murray said afterwards, per Davies’ story: “I knew I was world class, that I had it in me, and I’ll come back and win a world title.”

The 32-year-old has yet to achieve his aim three-and-a-half years later, so he has decided to make a change.

Murray has signed a deal to join Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing stable. His first fight is already set for June 26 in Liverpool, though, an opponent is yet to be confirmed.

A new promoter isn’t the only switch Murray has made. He has also announced that his next fight will be at super middleweight.

He explained his reasons for the decision in an interview with Sky Sports:

We've said for a long time now though that being at middleweight is affecting my power, my strength and speed. Those last couple of pounds take a bit away.

We've done what we can at middleweight for the time being so I'm stepping up. Super-middleweight is great domestically and we have world class and world champion fighters. It's a great division to be in and I'm looking forward to the new venture.

It is an aggressive move, one that opens up a number of possibilities for potential fights, as Hearn confirmed on Twitter:

Joining Matchroom could open doors—James DeGale, the current IBF champion, is part of the same promotion team, while Hearn has a good working relationship with Team Sauerland, who have WBO champion Arthur Abraham and George Groves on their books.

There are opportunities at super middleweight, and he even confirmed to Sky Sports that he would consider dropping back down again to 160 pounds: "I'm willing to make middleweight again like I said, if the right fight comes along. I'd love the fight with Andy Lee."

But those extra few pounds could produce that extra bit of power, and that could prove all the difference for Murray. His quest to become a world champion goes on.

Joe Calzaghe and Carl Froch never met in the ring, leaving us to all wonder what might have happened.

That, though, is one of the great things about sport, as it provides us with so many "what if" questions, so many opportunities to debate over who was the greatest or whether someone from a different era would have toppled the champions of today.

Britain has been blessed with some truly great super middleweights, including Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank, two archrivals who fought each other not once but twice.

Calzaghe and Froch, multiple world champions whose eras overlapped to a degree, are also greats who fought at the 168-pound limit.

Welshman Calzaghe retired with a 46-0 (32 KO) record, having moved up in weight to finish his career with wins over veterans Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr.

He claimed his first world title in 1997, getting the better of Eubank—who by that stage was nearing the end of the line—on points in Sheffield, England, to claim the vacant WBO crown.

It was a belt he would defend on 21 occasions, with his reign lasting more than 10 years.

Calzaghe—nicknamed The Prince of Wales—also held the IBF, WBA and WBC titles at some stage, but the WBO version was the one he cherished the most judging by how many times he defended it. Many tried to take it from him, but no one managed to do so.

As for Froch, his first taste of the big time came in 2008, as he recorded a hard-fought triumph over Jean Pascal in his home city of Nottingham, England, to claim the vacant WBC strap.

The Cobra took part in the Super Six World Boxing Classic, one of a half-dozen super middleweights competing in a tournament that—having initially seemed like an innovative idea with some potential to work out who was the best—fell apart because of the long time frame and a number of high-profile withdrawals.

Froch saw it through to the bitter end though, eventually losing in the final to Andre Ward in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

However, he bounced back in emphatic fashion, steamrolling Lucian Bute to become the new IBF champion. He got sweet revenge against Mikkel Kessler too, the man who had originally taken the WBC title from him, and most recently a pair of wins over fellow Englishman George Groves. 

Whether the 37-year-old fights again still remains to be seen, but he will hang up his gloves without ever having the chance to take on Calzaghe.

Froch pushed hard to face his domestic rival, as he admitted in an interview with ITV Sport: "That was a fight I wanted. He was WBC champion, everyone knew who he was. It was a massive fight back then—I think it would still be a big fight now. I think Joe Calzaghe knew that I was going to beat him."

Despite no chance now of ever meeting in the ring, it hasn’t stopped the rivalry from continuing outside of it.

Recently a tweet from Calzaghe following James DeGale’s successful bid to become the IBF champion—a title Froch vacated on American soil—stirred the pot again:

Froch replied, and from there things escalated, as he explained to talkSport (h/t the Mirror):

It ended in bad taste, to be honest. It ended with his son, Joe Calzaghe Junior, direct messaging me on Twitter, and saying really unnecessary stuff about my beautiful partner, the mother of my children. Tasteless stuff about her.

I just thought 'really, is this where we are going with this?' But that is what you are dealing with when you are dealing with Calzaghe. The banter ended there really.

And when I see him, it will be on the cobbles.

When I see him, it will end with him apologising straight away otherwise there will be a roll-around on the cobbles or wherever it is.

Hopefully they never settle the spat on social media on the cobbles, but who would have come out on top if the pair had ever actually met in the ring?

Your answer depends on your boxing values: If you prefer combinations and classy punching, Calzaghe has to be your man. If, though, you side with the old-fashioned fighter who has a willingness to stand toe-to-toe, then Froch is undoubtedly your favourite. 

Yet neither of them should be pigeonholed.

Calzaghe was a southpaw who fought with style, but he had his moments when he was under pressure. Both Jones and Hopkins knocked him down, as too did the lesser-known Kabary Salem.

But on each occasion he climbed off the canvas to come out on top. You do not end up going 46 fights unbeaten without being willing to mix it up, without having to dig deep and quickly recover from a setback.

Likewise, Froch is not just a brave warrior willing to go out on his shield in the pursuit of victory. He would never have climbed to the summit simply on heart alone.

There is skill to go with his spirit, not to mention power. Just ask Jermain Taylor, who was just seconds from beating Froch until he succumbed under heavy fire in the 12th and final round.

Groves can also testify to the force delivered by Froch’s punches, though he might not be too willing to admit it.

Would Calzaghe’s technical ability have won the day, or would Froch have found a way to hammer home enough shots to end his foe’s perfect record?

You can make compelling cases for both men, with the only certainty that it would have been an intriguing clash of contrasting methods. You can also be sure the bout would have made the pugilists, not to mention the promoters, plenty of money.

It is a showdown British fight fans would have loved to see. Wembley, in the summer months, would have been perfect.

It would have been a tight fight to predict as well, but Calzaghe would have come out on top, probably on points.

You may disagree (and feel free to say why in the comments section below), but there's no right or wrong answer—it is now just a matter of opinion, a case of what might have been.

James DeGale can create British boxing history on Saturday when he bids to become the IBF super middleweight champion at the expense of Andre Dirrell.

The duo will go head-to-head at the Agganis Arena in Boston for the belt that Carl Froch vacated back in February.

Both men have only lost once in their careers, with Dirrell's defeat coming at the hands of Froch in his attempt to win the WBC belt back in 2009.

DeGale (20-1, 14 KO), meanwhile, was beaten by long-time rival George Groves. However, he has since won 10 on the spin, with his run of victories propelling him to the mandatory challenger position.

When: Saturday, May 23, 4.30 p.m. (local) / 9.30 p.m. (BST) 

Where: Agganis Arena, Boston

TV: NBC (US), Sky Sports (UK)

Live stream: NBC (US; regional restrictions apply)  Sky Sports (UK; regional restrictions apply)

Second time around

When Dirrell (24-1, 16 KO) took Froch the full 12 rounds in Nottingham, and ended up losing by a split decision on the scorecards, he might not have expected to have to wait nearly six years for another crack at a world title.

He bounced back from that defeat with a win over fellow Super Six competitor Arthur Abraham five months later, only to then have to pull out of the tournament for health reasons.

The 31-year-old had to take time out due to a brain injury suffered against Abraham (who was disqualified for hitting his opponent after he had slipped), meaning he fought just once between March 2011 and August of last year.

However, victories over Vladine Biosse, Nick Brinson and Derek Edwards in 2014 at least mean Dirrell has been busy ahead of his second crack at a major belt.

Nicknamed The Resurrected, Dirrell will hope a win over DeGale can complete his comeback to the big time. In the pre-fight press conference, he seemed determined to make the most of the second opportunity (h/t Bad Left Hook):

If you want to put me in front of a fighter for a world championship fight, then James DeGale is bar none one of the best to do it in front of.

So, I'm excited about this fight. I think this is probably one of the biggest fights from Premier Boxing Champions that they've had and I'm excited to be on that big stage.

So, I want a breakout performance and I did everything in camp to make sure I can do so.

Dirrell will also want to get a belt back in the family—younger brother Anthony held the WBC strap until he was surprisingly beaten on points by Badou Jack in April.

Now it is older brother Andre who gets the chance to become a champion, and once again it is an Englishman who stands in his way.

Olympic spirit

Any sportsman revels in setting a new record. DeGale, though, has the chance to make history, rather than break it.

There is something a little bit special about being the first to achieve something, as that honour can never be taken away from you.

In winning the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics, he became the first British boxer to triumph at the Games in his weight class since fellow middleweight Chris Finnegan in 1968. Now he's aiming to become the first British boxer to win both Olympic gold and a professional world title.

Chunky admits, per Matchroom Boxing, that he is now "obsessed" with becoming a world champion:

I’m obsessed with making history.

It’s what drives me to work so hard in the gym and succeed in the ring. I need to stay focused and keep my eye out on the prize. That’s what I have to do.

I am just a normal boy from north-west London, and I can become the first Olympic gold medallist from England to win a World title. The support I am getting has been fantastic, and I can’t wait to bring the belt home for the fans.

A win on American soil for DeGale would not just see him enter the record books, it would also open up the possibility of a rematch with Groves.

The pair are still the best of enemies, with the rivalry stretching back to their amateur days.

Groves got the better of his fellow Londoner in the paid ranks in 2011, and that defeat still rankles with DeGale. The 29-year-old admitted to Alan Hubbard in the Independent that he was "a bit flash and up myself back then."

Groves has now dangled the carrot of a rematch—provided DeGale defeats Dirrell. Saint George told Jeff Powell of the Daily Mail: "I’ll do it now in a heartbeat."

That is an extra incentive for DeGale, not that he ever really needed it. The possibility of wearing the IBF belt is all the motivation he required to push himself to the limit.

Prediction

You can make a solid case for either of the two fighters coming out on top in the co-main event on the PBC card.

DeGale's hand speed can make him a tricky customer to deal with, but he has also shown he carries more power than some may appreciate with impressive stoppage wins in his last three fights.

Dirrell, meanwhile, showed against Froch that he could live with the best in the division. He also has a victory over Abraham on a record that is more impressive than DeGale's.

However, Froch was hardly complimentary when talking about his former opponent, telling Sky Sports: "Dirrell just doesn't seem to want to push himself, which is something we saw from his brother Anthony a couple of weeks ago, when he lost his world title to Badou Jack."

He will have no choice but to push himself against DeGale, who must be denied the opportunity to work at long range.

It is easy to see this going the distance and, if that is the case, expect DeGale to come out on top. I wonder who he might want to fight in his first defence?

Felix Sturm will look to get his career back on track when he faces WBA interim super middleweight champion Fedor Chudinov on Saturday in Frankfurt, Germany.

The experienced Sturm (39-4-3, 18 KOs) lost his IBF middleweight title to Sam Soliman just under a year ago, then fought out a draw with Robert Stieglitz in a catchweight contest last November.

Chudinov, in contrast, has won all 12 of his fights as a professional. He claimed the WBA belt on an interim basis with victory over Ben McCulloch in Moscow last December.

The Russian has recorded 10 wins by way of knockout and has only once been beyond the fifth round in his short career.

Also on the same card, Jack Culcay faces Maurice Weber. Their bout sees the interim WBA World super welterweight strap on the line.

When: Saturday, May 9 at 10 p.m (BST), 11 p.m. (CET)

Where: Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany

TV: SAT.1 (Germany), BoxNation (UK)

Live Stream: BoxNation (regional restrictions apply)

Still going strong

Despite failing to win his last two fights, and despite becoming a father for the second time in January, Sturm still seems as hungry as ever to continue in the ring.

But, at 36, he knows there is little room for error now. As Scott Gilfoid pointed out in his preview for BoxingNews24: "Sturm is looking to pick up a strap to get him ready for a title shot against WBO 168 pound champion Arthur Abraham."

If that is to become a reality, the man from Cologne cannot afford to lose against the dangerous Chudinov.

Sturm won the IBF, WBO, WBA and WBA belts as a middleweight, but has now moved up. That change in weight could be a double-edged sword.

However, he has, as ever, trained hard, judging by some of his tweets:

After 13 rounds of sparring my hands are recovering...feeling great! pic.twitter.com/5OUsQmDuC4

— Felix Sturm (@SturmBoxing) April 29, 2015

3 days... pic.twitter.com/5yzUWo50ZH

— Felix Sturm (@SturmBoxing) May 6, 2015

Yet at super middleweight he is going to come up against bigger foes. Sturm has never been known for his power, so he will have to use all his skills, and knowledge, to come out on top. 

Power player

Chudinov may not have had too many fights, but he is quickly building himself a reputation as a big hitter.

The Russian became interim champion in devastating fashion, knocking out Australian McCulloch in the second round.

The Australian Associated Press (h/t the Guardian) reported that McCulloch "laid face down for several minutes after being hit with a crunching right hand." Thankfully, he was able to walk out of the ring.

Chudinov will have to deal with a slight height and reach disadvantage against Sturm, as well as the majority of the crowd at a soldout Festhalle.

However, the 27-year-old, whose brother Dimitry was interim WBA middleweight champion before losing to Chris Eubank Jr. in February, should not be too concerned at having to travel.

After a fine amateur career that included becoming a world champion at junior level, per BoxRec, Chudinov started out in the paid ranks with four bouts in the United States.

Since then he has returned to his homeland, though last year he travelled to the Dominican Republic to defeat Andy Perez in a hurry.

This fight against Sturm, though, should give us a better indication of just how good he is.

Prediction

The key to predicting the outcome is trying to work out exactly where each fighter currently stands in their career.

Having failed to win his last two outings, is Sturm nearing the end of the line? And, while Chudinov is unbeaten, can the Russian step it up a level against an opponent with real pedigree?

The answers to those questions is yes, suggesting the current champion may be catching Sturm at just the right time.

Still, only one man has stopped Sturm inside the distance (Javier Castillejo, back in 2006). If it goes 12 rounds, he will triumph. 

But, if Chudinov can land enough shots and show off his power, he will retain his belt via way of stoppage. If that is the eventual outcome, it will have been a career-altering night for both men.

It has been nearly seven years since James DeGale struck gold at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

At the 2008 Games, the Londoner defeated Cuban Emilio Correa in the final to win the middleweight title.

His success paved the way for a professional career, and in February 2009, he made his debut in the paid ranks, beating Vepkhia Tchilaia on points. It was the first of five fights he had that year.

Now, boasting a 20-1 (14 KO) record, DeGale has manoeuvred himself into a position to make history.

On May 23, he will face Andre Dirrell for the vacant IBF super middleweight belt. If he wins in Boston, he will become the first British Olympic champion to also win a world title.

Chunky believes he can get the job done in his travels, per Matchroom Boxing: 

My time is here and I am going to be crowned the IBF world champion. Travelling doesn’t worry me – I like it. As an amateur I travelled all over the world and came home with medals, especially at the Olympics, so when the pressure is on and I am a little nervous, that’s when I come into my own, I relish it.

At the age of 29 and having worked so hard to get himself into this position, DeGale knows how important this next fight is to determining his long-term prospects.

Olympic glory is no precursor to success as a pro, as Steve Bunce pointed out in his blog for ESPN.co.uk: “The gold medal, you see, is a glorious achievement, harder than ever to win, but it does not guarantee the man wearing it any success in the pro ranks. It can cause heads to swell, it can create a false sense of security and it can turn the wisest promoters into fools at the bargaining table.”

The biggest fight he has had to date saw him come out on the wrong end of the result, The points loss he suffered at the hands of George Groves four years ago still rankles.

The longtime rivals nearly came to blows at a weigh-in last November, per Martin Domin of the Daily Mail, even though they were fighting different opponents on the same bill.

A rematch would make sense—both in terms of settling the score and also from a financial point of view—though not before both have world titles in their possession. 

Since losing to Groves, DeGale has gone on a 10-fight winning streak, slowly but surely working his way into the position of being the mandatory challenger for the IBF crown.

However, the list of victims does not include many names of real note. He is about to step up to another level.

Dirrell is a rather sizeable obstacle who stands in the way of the Brit completing the path from gold medalist to world champion.

The American has a 26-1 (16 KO) record, with his only loss coming at the hands of Carl Froch, the man who previously held the IBF belt, back in 2009.

Like DeGale, the 31-year-old has bounced back from his one and only defeat.

He has won six on the spin since being on the wrong end of a split decision in Nottingham, England. That run of positive results includes a victory over reigning WBO champion Arthur Abraham (albeit by disqualification).

The similarities do not end there: Dirrell is a southpaw and a former Olympian too. He claimed a bronze medal as a middleweight at the 2004 Games in Athens and had a fine amateur pedigree.

For both fighters, the bout—which will be held at the Agganis Arena in Boston—will be pivotal.

Defeat does not mean the end of the line, but neither man will want to suffer a setback at this stage of their careers.

It is a crossroads fight, but only one of them can keep on moving forward.

Two championship bouts highlight the next Premier Boxing Champions card. WBC super middleweight champion Anthony "The Dog" Dirrell (27-0-1, 22 KO) will defend his title against Badou "The Ripper" Jack (18-1-1, 12 KO), while WBA regular middleweight champion Daniel "Miracle Man" Jacobs (28-1, 25 KO) faces Caleb "Golden" Truax (25-1-2, 15 KO).

The card takes place at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago on Friday, April 24. Here's the trailer for the event:

The viewing information is below.

When: Friday at 9 p.m. ET

Where: UIC Pavilion in Chicago

TV: Spike

Live Stream: Spike TV Online

Jacobs vs. Truax

While Jacobs' title isn't an official world championship, when you consider he was diagnosed with a form of cancer called osteosarcoma in 2011, you have to respect his accomplishments all the more. 

The 28-year-old was out of the ring 19 months and made his comeback in late 2012. He's had six fights since coming back and won all of them by stoppage. Most recently, he stopped Jarrod Fletcher to win the WBA title.

The bout on Friday will be Jacobs' first defense. Truax is no pushover. In every fight I've seen him in, he brings effort and energy.

The 31-year-old from Osseo, Minnesota, has become a bit of a mainstay in Chicago. He's had his last two fights at the Pavilion and won them both. In fact, Truax hasn't lost a fight since he dropped a competitive unanimous decision against Jermain Taylor in 2012. That was the only loss of Truax's career, but he did floor Taylor, as you can see in the video below.

Obviously, if Truax can pull off the win, it would be the biggest victory of his career. He'd have a secondary title, but more importantly, he'd have a win over a big-named fighter on a nationally televised card.

Jacobs wants to ultimately challenge for a world title. He must defend his current title before moving on to challenge one of the major champions at 160 pounds. Looking good on a PBC card would only help his cause. Truax has never been stopped, and Jacobs is a pure knockout fighter. He'll be looking to become the first to beat Truax inside the distance.

Dirrell vs. Jack

The Dog has had to overcome multiple obstacles in his career. Also a cancer survivor, Dirrell was in a serious motorcycle accident that cost him 18 months of his career in 2012.

He recovered, but has a steel rod in his leg. Despite all he's been through, Dirrell is still undefeated and a legit champion. He told Lem Satterfield of PBC: "I'm just blessed. I’m not saying that what has happened to me was supposed to happen, but I do believe that everything happens for a reason."

After a controversial split-decision draw against then-champion Sakio Bika, the 30-year-old Dirrell got an immediate rematch and won his first world title via unanimous decision in Aug. 2014. 

Jack is just the next stumbling block in his way.

Along with Mickey Bey, Jack is the pride and joy of Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s Money Team stable. After shaking off his first professional loss, a TKO defeat at the hands of Derek Edwards in Feb. 2014, Jack has rebounded with two wins in a row. 

The 31-year-old from Sweden will be looking to join Bey as the second member of The Money Team to win a world title.

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Arthur Abraham will face a familiar foe when he defends his WBO super middleweight title on Saturday.

The 35-year-old puts his belt on the line against Paul Smith—the same opponent he defeated by unanimous decision in his previous fight.

King Arthur continued his reign as world champion with a landslide points victory last September; two of the judges called it 117-111 in his favour, while the other had him winning 119-111 in Kiel, Germany.

While the loss was tough enough for Smith to take, the margin on the scorecards left him feeling rather hard done by.

In his post-fight interview, per Sky Sports, the British boxer branded the judging “disgusting,” adding: “I get to a world-title shot and then that happens. I just wanted a fair crack of the whip, and I didn’t get it.”

Smith (35-4, 20 KOs) was also quick to call for a rematch in the immediate aftermath. He continued his campaign with a petition, per ESPN.com, to the WBO for assistance, but that plea fell on deaf ears.

However, Abraham and his management team have granted him a second opportunity, this time at the O2 World Arena in Berlin.

In the press release to announce the rematch, Abraham said, “I’m a man of my word. I promised Paul that I would give him a rematch after our first fight in Kiel.”

He may have also had a lack of other options. Robert Stieglitz is ranked as the No. 1 challenger, but he is a familiar foe, having faced Abraham three times in the past.

Unbeaten Mexican Gilberto Ramirez is the next name down on the list, followed by James DeGale (who seems set to face Andre Dirrell, per Rich Damerell of Sky Sports). Both are young and hungry fighters.

Smith, who at 32 is far from past his prime, is fourth on the rankings. He is also now a known commodity to Abraham, as well as an opponent who will bring plenty of travelling support. 

The element of surprise may have gone for the challenger, but that has not dented his confidence.

He is determined to make sure the judges are not required, telling Sky Sports’ Ringside show: "I believe I can knock him out. I believe I’ve got the power to hurt anyone.”

Judging from the statistical breakdown after the first fight, he cannot just look to outwork his opponent to achieve his desired goal.

Smith averaged 49.9 punches per round, according to CompuBox stats—over five more than Abraham. Yet despite throwing more leather, he never really came close to forcing a stoppage.

He also targeted the body in the hope of not only taking the wind out of Abraham’s sails but also lowering his high defensive guard. Punches that only land on gloves and arms are a waste of a fighter's energy.

The tactic worked to a degree, but a career-best performance still wasn’t enough for him to take the belt away.

His best hope may actually be if the home favourite (Abraham was born in Armenia but is now based in Berlin) lives up to his own pre-fight promise.

Abraham (41-4, 28 KOs) has talked about winning inside the distance, according to RingNews24.com:

I don’t understand why the English media spoke about a miscarriage of justice. I don’t select the judges and neither do my promoters.

However this time, I will relieve the judges of their responsibility.

There will be no doubt, I will show no mercy and Smith will not hear the final bell!

Abraham, though, has not stopped an opponent since recording a TKO triumph over Mehdi Bouadla in December 2012.

Add in the fact that his last five fights have gone the full 12 rounds and you wonder if he will actually follow through with his promise.

Still, Abraham and Smith should make for intriguing viewing again. Let us hope the judges are not the main storyline this time.