Murdock’s now ready to follow tune of Horn
PROMOTER Bob Arum says the Gold Coast will cash in on the boxing momentum created in Australia by Jeff Horn, should Rohan Murdock’s title challenge come together.
Both Murdock and current world super middleweight champion Gilberto Ramirez held up their end of the bargain yesterday in the US.
If both continue winning streaks at a card in the Mexican resort town of Mazatlan in May, then a title showdown between the pair on the Gold Coast in September looms.
Arum, a high-profile figure in the sport, said it would be a chance to “do something really spectacular on the beach”.
Brisbane’s Jeff Horn’s stocks have skyrocketed since stunning legend Manny Pacquiao in July to clinch the welterweight title and then defending it against Gary Corcoran in December.
Both fights were held in Brisbane to a big reception – and Arum wants to capitalise on that now.
“That is the hope,” he told the Bulletin.
“It all started with Jeff Horn’s upset victory in Brisbane last July and of course it didn’t hurt that 51,000 people were there with the sun beaming down watching it.”
Ahead of competing on the Ramirez-Ahmed undercard in Corpus Christi, Arum challenged Murdock to prove himself worthy of such an event and he did just that by beating Filippone in a TKO.
“I hope I impressed him,” Murdock said. “There’s not much more you can do, getting someone to quit on the stool. That’s pretty much as good as you can go.”
It all points to a mega chance for not only the 25year-old but the entire Coast.
“I have been to the Gold Coast, it’s a tremendous area and this would be a great, great opportunity for people all over the world to see the Gold Coast,” said Arum, who is hosting Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk for dinner later this month.
“So that’s our plan, to take Australian fighters and give them a chance.”