World Boxing Association middleweight ‘’super’’ champion Ryota Murata of Teiken Boxing Gym went two rounds of sparring with his Mexican partner as he held a public workout at the gym on March 28 in preparation for his showdown with International Boxing Federation middleweight champion Gennadiy Gennadyevich Golovkin of Kazakhstan on Apr. 9 in Saitama Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo.

In the sparring with Adrian Luna, the 36-year-old Murata displayed aggressive boxing, including body shots at close range and rapid combination blows. After hitting a punching bag for as many as eight rounds, Murata responded to press inquiry about the coming fight.

‘’I think the first round will be very important. If I can put pressure on him, I think I may have a good chance. If he parries my offense easily or if I cannot get inside due to his jabs, I will have a hard time. How to get inside will be the most important thing.’’

Asked about his present feelings about the fight, Murata said, ‘’True I have some fear about the fight. But since my planned fight with him has been postponed for as long as two years, the matter of further postponement is the most fearful thing. The idea of not being able to fight is the most fearful thing, which drowns the fear of the fight.’’ The upcoming fight with Golovkin will be Murata’s first bout in about two years and four months.

Murata quickly added, ‘’Some kind of a sense of satisfaction before climbing through the ropes, which is feared to make me less focused on the fight, might occur. I will try not to fall into that kind of feeling.’’
Murata is expected to wind up the sparring sessions this week, thereby setting the stage for his final adjustment.

The scheduled 12-rounder will be held at Saitama Super Arena. Murata has a record of 16 wins, including 13 KOs, against two losses, while Golovkin has a 41-1-1 win-loss-draw tally with 36 KOs.