Ross is the boss
But fighter admits WBC title win is beyond his wildest dreams
Boxer wins international light flyweight title
Castlemilk boxer Ross Murray admitted he has surpassed his career ambitions after winning the WBC international silver light flyweight title last Friday night.
The 37-year-old, who only turned pro three years ago and has a day job as the managing director of a building firm, beat 20-year-old Tanzanian, John Chuwa by unanimous decision to lift the belt.
And the local fighter was delighted to have scooped his first title.
Ross told the Reformer: “It’s something I never even dreamed of, to be honest.
“When I turned pro I thought I might be able to win a Scottish belt, but a WBC title is an amazing feeling.
“It has gone beyond what I was ever expecting – and should put me in the top 15 in the world and lead to a bigger fight later in the year, maybe away from home.
“I’m hoping to get someone in the top 10 next and we’ll see what happens.”
The ring king took control of the fight as it unfolded, and felt he dominated the later rounds against his much younger opponent, who had entered the bout with a 17-2 record, including nine knock outs.
Ross explained: “I won it down the back stretch. The first three rounds were tight. I hadn’t seen much footage of him, so I used the early exchanges to suss him out.
“I could feel the snap in his punches start to go as the fight went on, and the tide started to go my way.
“I picked up the pace over the last six rounds and felt I was really controlling it by that point.
It was a tough fight, very competitive.”
Ross had his first fight aged 28, after trouble with his knee saw him stop playing amateur football.
He was encouraged to turn pro six years later by trainers Peter Harrison and Frankie O’ Connor, and went on to fight for the WBO European title.
Busy Ross juggles his boxing career with his day job – and only had one day off work in the build up to his world title tilt.
He added: “It’s very hard, because it’s a really busy time at the moment with work, and it’s not a nine-to-five job either.
“But I’m lucky because it means there is less pressure on me when I fight – I can do it because I love the competitiveness of it, not because I have to.
“I don’t drink either, so I was just glad after the fight to go and properly eat again, and then I was back at work on Monday!”