With Frank Warren’s master class show case just around the corner that sees European and world titles on display I though it was only fair to get Joe’s thoughts ahead of the North v South battle where John Murray takes on Kevin Mitchell.
Joe; “I am really looking forward to this fight; Mitchell has said he is a step up in class for John, NO WAY. John has fought many times on the top bills in the big stage. John fought on the undercard of De La Hoya v Mayweather in Vegas, that fight is the biggest grossing fight box office has seen for years. Murray also fought on Ricky Hatton’s Vegas bill and put in a career’s best performance in Vegas. John Sparred with Hatton and Shane Mosley in the States, Mosley was also soaring with Katsidis at the time and came over to tell me that John hits harder than Katsidis, and that was way back then”
“Mitchell got destroyed against Katsidis and I know he has been ill with a viral infection but I want the best from Mitchell come fight night. Kevin has some great people behind him in Mark and Jimmy Tibbs and I wouldn’t expect anything less than 100% from them. Mark does some great work with his guys and Jimmy knows he has to deliver. Jimmy knows his stuff and I know he will be under a little bit of pressure. The guys from the east end are great and they have a great community down there”
“I have watched Kevin Mitchell for years, he has a good left hand and I know he will be in great shape but come fight night he will catch the John Murray virus, coming out of the fight all bumpy and black and blue”
“I know how the first round will go for Mitchell, he will box a good round with a fight and run mentality but can he get away with that and deal with John for 12 Rounds?. Murray will drag Mitchell into deep waters and watch his drowned”
I briefly asked Joe just how far off a world title is from finding its way to John Murray; he had this to say;
“We’re not looking past Kevin at the moment and July 16th, I’m hoping John and Kevin will put on a spectacle to show the potential john has of making a fight a great fight. Thing is, we are going into this fight night with Frank Warren and we have had showdowns with Hennessy Sports in the past with great success, our aim is to send Mitchell packing then we will take it all in our stride”
“I wish I was watching this fight at home”
Dukes: What has the build up been like to this fight?
Joe: “I think this fight has been lost in the David Hay haze, and wished more people had got behind it but it’s picking up pace. It would have been good to have the fight in Kevin’s backyard as once again they have a great boxing community down in the East End. It is always great in Liverpool, at the Olympia or the Echo Arena. We have a lot big fights coming up for John, Crolla, Macklin, Callum and Mark so it’s a really busy time for everyone at the gym”
“We all pull together for every fight, YOU DON’T JUST FIGHT ONE OF US, YOU FIGHT US ALL”.
“We had a great spirit in Germany for Macklin, the running the sparring and the perfect camp, just not the perfect result. No-one has achieved what we have done Joe Murray won in Vegas and no-one wrote about it. We get great fighters in great shape, we have these young boys coming through some are ABA world champions, it’s a great formula for the future and everyone has always stayed around and trained”
“Success breeds success, we have a lot of great Boxing Trainer’s in the UK. I have spent a lot of time with Neil Fannan in the past and he is producing some great fighters David Coldwell is another that we don’t hear much about. If you’re not Freddie roach or Adam Booth they don’t want to know”
“I was at the Groves v Degale fight and all you heard afterwards was how Booth was a master tactician and he was given all the plaudits, I seen Groves going back to the dressing alone while everyone was patting Adam Booth on the back. We do our bit but it’s the fighters that get the job done”
Once again, it was a great pleasure talking to Joe and his fighters so far this week. It opens your eyes when you get an insight to just how much goes on behind the scenes. Every time I was on the phone to Joe it seemed a future world champion had just walked in the gym. Gallagher’s gym has certainly got to be up there with some of the best in the world.
A massive thanks to Joe Gallagher and everyone that has given us a look in, I’m sure this will not be the last time you hear the names from Gallagher’s gym.
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