Rohan Murdock looks to continue climb up world rankings

 
When you hear discussions about the healthy state of the Australian domestic scene in the super middleweight division, the names Jake Carr and Zac Dunn seemingly dominate the conversation amongst fight fans.

 
There is also another name that seemingly keeps flying under the radar in these conversations. The same man who is rated in the top twenty five in the world in the very same division.

 
His name? Rohan Murdock.

 
Murdock (16-1, 13 KOs) is a promoters dream. The 23 year-old Queenslander who was born in Western Australia, has the looks and the build of a Greek Adonis.

 
He is friendly and engaging. And he can fight, seriously fight.

 
The WBO Asia Pacific champion will look to continue his rich vein of form on Friday night when he defends his title against undefeated Francisco Benitez at the Empire Function Centre in Perth on a CDL Promotions card.

 
When quizzed on how preparations have been leading into the fight, Murdock explains all is going well and says he is chewing at the bit to continue his winning ways.

 
“My preparation for this fight has been fantastic,” said Murdock in an interview with Aus-Boxing. “I am injury free and sparring sessions have been spot on. I feel as sharp as I ever have and I can’t wait for Friday night,”

 
Murdock has just the one blemish on his record to date, a points loss to Victorian banger Steve Moxon, but explains the loss was a blessing in disguise, and as a result, jolted him into action to start taking the sport seriously.

 
“Yeah that loss was a kick in bum, no doubt,” Murdock explained. “I was only eighteen at the time and made the mistake of going toe to toe with a big puncher like he (Moxon) was. I was enjoying the nightlife a bit much too,”

 
“It was only then that I told myself that if I really wanted to succeed in this sport, I had to really knuckle down, make the sacrifices and bust my gut. It was definitely a defining moment in my career,”

 
As he has progressed, Murdock also touched on the fact that his last fight with former world champion and Anthony Mundine nemesis, Manny Siaca, was a great step up in experience for him and says that in was important for his development.

 
“The fight with Siaca was a great one for me. He was a guy that in his prime, fought guys like Mundine, Green, Mitchell and Kessler, these types of guys,” Murdock continued.

 
“Some would say he was past it by the time I got him but his experience still made him a dangerous opponent. To get him out in six rounds was pleasing for me,”

 
Murdock is ranked twenty fifth amongst the best super middleweights in the world and is at number ten in the WBO. As a regional belt holder, he knows he is now very close to that all important top five ranking with the WBO should he win on Friday Night in Perth.

 
He is also very excited about the prospect of fighting in his native Perth in front of relatives, where the now Queenslander was born and raised until age six.

 
“I was actually thinking about it the other day,” Murdock said. “I am really looking forward to having a lot of my relatives ringside to see me fight live for the first time,”

 
“As we all live so far away from each other, there hasn’t been many chances for them to do that, so it will be really good to have them all there,”

 
Murdock has now joined forces with one of Australia’s most respected and proactive boxing managers, Mike Altamura, and is now being promoted by Ty Colman and the team at CDL Promotions out of Perth.

 
He says he is very thankful for both giving him a fresh start and a new opportunity

 
“Mike has been really good so far. We joined forces a couple of months ago through a recommendation from some people and I am really excited to be working with him,” Murdock said. “Ty Colman from CDL Promotions is now promoting me and he has also been fantastic thus far,”

 
“I also just wanted to thank my trainer Chris Carden and all my sponsors, I really appreciate everyone’s work and support. It’s an exciting time for me,”

 
Murdock vs. Benitez is for the WBO Asia Pacific super middleweight title on Friday May 8th and is on the CDL Promotions’ “Western Alliance 17” card in Perth as the co-feature bout.

 
 
Words: Dan Smart (Follow Dan on Twitter @dansmart76)
Photo: Ryan Marsh