Martin Murray vs Sergey Khmoitski

Friday, November 27, 2009

The undefeated middleweight, Martin Murray, overcame the hardest test of his professional career as he outpointed Ukrainian, Sergey Khmoitski, 77-73, over 8 rounds at Robin Park Arena on Friday.

Despite the raucous support for the St. Helens fighter, he started slowly, boxing cautiously behind the jab and taking time to study his opponent. It continued in the same vein as Murray controlled the second using his boxing skills before opening up a little more towards the end of the round and into the third.

A good right hook at the start of the fourth was the best punch of the fight, thus far, before a left-right put Khmoitski down at the end of the round.

Murray’s strength was beginning to show through as he again put his opponent down, in the same place and with the same punch as the round before. Khmoitski however, was able to regain his composure and see out the round, despite Murray’s best efforts.

Last year’s Prizefighter winner stepped up his efforts in the sixth, determined to stop his opponent and landed another left-right, before a combination of punches caught his opponent on the ropes.

Perhaps Murray’s desire to gain the stoppage, was behind his lapse in defence as Khmoitski landed a fantastic right hook stumbling Murray. Trying desperately to hold on Murray lurched in but the experienced Khmoitski took a step back as the St. Helens man fell to the canvas.

Though the knockdown was questionable, Murray seemed a little unsteady and had to fight cautiously at the end to see out the fight.

It had been an impressive performance by Murray in the first six rounds, against an opponent who had gone twelve rounds with Khoren Gevor, but as is often the case in boxing, one momentary lapse of concentration can prove costly. Luckily for Murray, now undefeated in 17, he wasn’t made to pay for his mistake.

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