The weigh-ins are complete for Saturday’s Martin Murray vs Gennady Golovkin middleweight title fight in Monaco. Golovkin came in at 158.9 pounds, and Murray came in at 159.9.
Now, the lines are still in the astronomical neighborhood, as Golovkin is a (-3000) favorite over Murray, who is paying back at (+1500). More intriguing might be the over/under, which sits at 7.5 rounds for this 12-round bout, with the over paying (+125) and the under at (-145). Laying a little bit of juice on the under may be appealing to Golovkin fans, as his string of knock outs and perfect 31-0 record come with a lot of fights ended that paid the “under”. The weigh-ins reveal a very loose and fit Golovkin, and since he has rarely been taken that deep in a fight, the under may be a good bet.
However, if you are a Murray fan, the over might be very appealing. Murray too, looked calm and fit at the weigh-ins, which were conducted out doors in front of a large crowd. Murray enjoyed a good bit of support, though Golovkin’s fans outnumbered Murray’s. But those fans will remember how sturdy Murray has been throughout his entire career, and how he has never been down in a fight. Though Golovkin’s blows always come with bad intentions, Murray is aware of that and has accepted the fact he is going to take some punishment in this fight. Murray has a great 29-1-1 record, and the blemishes are notable for two reasons.
Murray lost to Sergio Martinez and drew with Feliz Sturm. Both men are not Golovkin, but they are extremely high level boxers who were fighting at home as favorites, and Murray took them the distance in very respectable performances. Golovkin’s talents are impressive, but pardon Murray if he doesn’t show it.
Could Golovkin be in for an “off” performance? It seems since he burst on the scene in 2012 he has been operating on all cylinders. In the nine fights since he left the Ukraine, Golovkin has been pushed past the 7.5 round mark twice, and a third time he paid the under by a slim 10 seconds. So as far as Murray is concerned, it is possible.
