Surfers beach could host boxing fight
  Story By Vince Rugari     

Wednesday, 15 November 2017: Gold Coast super middleweight Rohan Murdock could be fighting for the WBO world title on the Surfers Paradise beach next year.

A world title boxing fight could be staged on the sands of Surfers Paradise next year.

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It all depends on whether Gold Coast super middleweight Rohan Murdock can get through the gauntlet laid out for him by the sport's most powerful promoter, Bob Arum.

Murdock (20-1, 15KO) caught Arum's attention with his third-round stoppage of Tanzanian Said Mbelwa last month in Brisbane.

Now Arum, the CEO of Top Rank promotions, has given the 25-year-old the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Jeff Horn and earn a world title shot in his hometown in the form of a three-fight deal.

Murdock is slated to face Russian Apti Ustarkhanov (15-2, 5KO) on the undercard of Horn's WBO welterweight belt defence on December 13 against Englishman Gary Corcoran.

Win that, and Arum says he will book the Nerang product for two fights next year on the undercard of Gilberto Ramirez (36-0, 24 KO) events in Texas and in Mexico - opportunities to prove he is worthy of taking on the WBO's super middleweight champion.

If he does, Murdock could tackle Ramirez late next year in a truly iconic setting.

Duco Events promoter Dean Lonergan, the man behind Horn's memorable 'Battle of Brisbane' against Manny Pacquiao, has already investigated whether the fight could be held on the beach - much like how the beach volleyball was successfully staged at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

It's an ambitious plan and it hinges on Murdock being good enough to hold up his end of the bargain for it to progress further.

Arum said there was no doubt Murdock had the talent to become Australia's next world champion.

"Will it happen? That's for the gods of boxing to determine," Arum said.

"He's a work in progress now but I am confident from what I've seen on film ... Rohan Murdock is really a guy who has a lot of talent, a lot of charisma and he can be a major, major star in the super middleweight division.

"I think he can be a hit and an attraction. But Ramirez is one hell of a fighter, so Murdock will have that mountain to climb, plus smaller mountains as he gets himself ready to fight Ramirez."

Previously ranked as high as No.6 in the world, Murdock is not currently rated in the world's top 15 by any of the four major sanctioning bodies.

His fight last month was his first in 12 months, having battled debilitating hand and jaw injuries during that time.