The WBO super middleweight belt will be on the line when Billy Joe Saunders defends the strap for the second time against Martin Murray. Saunders (29-0 with 14 knockouts) was hoping to fight Canelo Alvarez earlier this year, but the two boxers were unable to come to terms. That gives Murray (39-5-1 with 17 knockouts) his fifth title shot, and he will be out to make the most of this opportunity. This fight headlines a Matchroom Boxing card that will be shown on DAZN in the United States. The undercard is slated to start at 2 p.m. ET with the main event scheduled to get underway at 5 p.m. ET.
When: Friday, December 4, 2020
Where: Wembley Arena, London, United Kingdom
Why: WBO super middleweight title
Billy Joe Saunders vs Martin Murray Betting Odds
Billy Joe Saunders -1800
Martin Murray +903
As an unbeaten boxer, Saunders is a heavy favorite per the boxing betting odds ahead of this title fight. If you aren’t up to speed with betting on boxing, you would have to wager $1800 to win $100 on Saunders at this price. A $100 bet on Murray would return a little over $900 if the challenger were to pull off the upset.
As the fight nears, there will be decision betting too. You will be able to bet on whether the fight is decided by KO, TKO, or decision, and you can bet on which boxer will win the fight in that fashion as well.
Billy Joe Saunders vs Martin Murray Preview
Saunders is one of the most promising English boxers in quite some time. He began his pro career shortly after the 2008 Summer Olympics, and he was initially a middleweight. We saw him begin to claim minor titles in 2013 when he beat Gary O’Sullivan for the WBO International middleweight belt, and his eighth round KO of Emanuele Blandamura gave him the European middleweight title.
Those victories led to a real title shot in December 2015. Saunders took on Andy Lee for the WBO middleweight belt, winning a majority decision thanks to two knockdowns of Lee in the third round. He went on to successfully defend the belt against Artur Akavov, Willie Monroe Jr., and David Lemieux, beating all three fighters by unanimous decision.
After improving to 26-0, Saunders made the decision to move up to super middleweight. He had no trouble beating veteran Charles Adamu in his first fight in that division, and he claimed the WBO super middleweight title over Shefat Isufi five months later in his native England. Saunders defended the strap in November 2019 and knocked out Marcelo Esteban Coceres in the 11th round.
It took Murray some time to earn the respect of his peers. He fought 16 fights in his first two years as a professional boxer, winning all 16 including Prizefighter 4. That record led to recognition, and he moved his record to 23-0 before his first major title fight. Murray faced Felix Sturm in Germany for the WBA super middleweight title, fighting the defending champion to a draw.
Murray won the interim WBA middleweight title by sixth round TKO over Jorge Navarro in November 2012. Unfortunately, he lost a unanimous decision to Sergio Martinez for the WBC and The Ring middleweight belts in his very next fight, suffering his first loss in the process.
He suffered his second loss when he faced the powerful Gennady Golovkin in February 2015 with three titles on the line. Murray was knocked out for the first and only time in his career, but he defeated three boxers by knockout within a three-month span to earn one more title shot. That culminated in a split decision loss to Arthur Abraham for the WBO super middleweight belt in November 2015.
Since that defeat, Murray has won seven of nine fights, but he has yet to earn a major title fight until this one.
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