Amid a raucous atmosphere with the Barmy Army in full voice, WBA and IBO middleweight champion and WBC Interim champion Gennady Golovkin and official challenger Martin Murray both weighed inside the limit at the official weigh-in at Monte-Carlo Casino on Friday afternoon. Saturday’s HBO Boxing telecast airs live at 5:45 p.m. (ET/PT).
The HBO telecast from the Salle des Etoiles venue in Monte Carlo is a special presentation featuring reigning world middleweight title-holder Gennady Golovkin, seeking his 13th successful middleweight title defense, against challenger Martin Murray.
Official Weights from Monte Carlo:
Gennady Golovkin: 158.9 lbs.
Martin Murray: 159.9 lbs.
Join the conversation on Twitter: #GolovkinMurray
In the UK, Channel 5 recruit former world champions to work Golovkin-Murray show
Former world champions Steve Collins and Richie Woodhall will cast their expert eye over Saturday’s (February 21) WBA Super world middleweight title fight between Gennady Golovkin and Martin Murray as part of Channel 5’s star-studded fight night team.
Collins and Woodhall will join Mark Pougatch in the studio, while Dave Farrar and respected American fight personality Al Bernstein provide commentary in Monte Carlo.
No stranger to big fight nights, Irishman Collins is a former WBO middleweight and super-middleweight champion who twice defeated both Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn. He retired in 1997 with a professional record of 36-3 and was renowned for his toughness, aggression and hard-nosed approach to his craft.
Woodhall, meanwhile, was a former WBC world super-middleweight champion who boxed a number of quality, world-class fighters over the course of a ten-year professional career. He retired in 2000 with a 26-3 record and has since gained a reputation as one of Britain’s finest fight pundits and commentators.
All the boxers, bar Mexican Jesus Silvestre, were under the limit. Silvestre, who challenges WBA and IBO minimumweight champion Hekkie Budler, was given two hours to shake off his three ounces of excess weight.
OFFICIAL WEIGHTS
WBA Super World middleweight, interim WBC World middleweight and IBO middleweight championship
GENNADY GOLOVKIN (Ukraine)
72,07kg (158,9 lbs).
MARTIN MURRAY (UK)
72,52kg (159,9 lbs).
WBA and IBO minimumweight championship
HEKKIE BUDLER (South Africa)
47,56kg (104,85 lbs).
JESUS SILVESTRE (Mexico)
47,78kg (105,35 lbs).
Vacant EBU bantamweight championship
LEE HASKINS (UK)
53,56kg (118,05 lbs).
OMAR LAMIRI (France)
52,90kg (116,45 lbs).
Heavyweight fight
HUGHIE FURY (UK)
105,3kg (232,45 lbs)
ANDRIY RUDENKO (Ukraine)
110,50kg (243,30 lbs).
Also today, a revised list of broadcasters was announced for the tournament, ensuring a massive international viewership:
Africa – SuperSport; Australia – Main Event PPV; Brazil – Esporte Interativo; China – CCTV; France – L’Equipe 21; Germany – Sat.1; Hungary – Digi Sport; Israel – Sport 5; Japan – WOWOW; Kazakhstan – TBC; Mexico – Azteca; Middle East – beIN Sports; Nicaragua – Canal 4; Panama – Concluded – Broadcaster TBD; Pan-South America – Space; Philippines – GMA; Poland – NC+; Romania – Digi Sport; Russia – Russia 2; Scandinavia – Viasat; Slovenia – POP TV; Thailand – Channel 7; Turkey – Kanal D; United Kingdom - Channel 5; Uruguay – VTV; USA – HBO.
“We are very excited that the Golovkin-Murray fight, live from Monte-Carlo, will be seen by television viewers all over the world,” said Golden Gloves Rodney Berman, “and we are very pleased with the hard work and effort that our international distributor, Protocol Sports Marketing, has invested in helping to make this happen.”
GOLOVKIN vs MURRAY is presented by Golden Gloves of South Africa, K2 Promotions, GGG Promotions, Expo 2017 and Tsesnabank, Casino de Monte-Carlo along with Monte-Carlo SBM.
The fight will be broadcast internationally from the beautiful Salle des Etoiles venue in Monte-Carlo.
