Jackson Murray, a former Australian rugby league player turned professional boxer, is set to make his U.S. debut on the undercard of the WBC lightweight title fight between Shakur Stevenson and Edwin De Los Santos. The bout will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on November 16, 2023, and will be promoted by Top Rank Promotions.

Murray, a towering 6-foot-7 southpaw heavyweight from Sydney, Australia, is undefeated in his five fights so far, having won four by knockout.

When asked about his boxing style, he said that “I am not a typical heavyweight in terms of my movement, but I do possess good power for a heavyweight. I am patient in my approach and like to create openings for knockout shots.”

Due to his similarities to WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, Murray was brought in as a sparring partner to assist former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

Jackson Murray (right) and Francis Ngannou – Photo courtey of Team Murray

“(Ngannou’s) greatest strength was his power,” said Murray. “I was surprised at how composed and measured he was as a boxer. He didn’t rush and took instructions well from his team. Dewey Cooper is a great coach, and there was no better man to be in Francis’ corner on fight night. The fight went very much how I expected. Francis came out strong early and showed Fury and the world his raw power. He was very composed, as he was in sparring. He has had so much life adversity as a person that he did not let the occasion faze him or overwhelm him.”

Murray will face undefeated prospect Steven Torres (6-0-1, 6 KO), promising an exciting test for both boxers as two undefeated prospects put their records on the line, with both possessing knockout power. Torres is coming off a rematch win in July after drawing against James Evans (6-1-1) and knocking Evans out in their last bout. Torres also appears to have been tested early in his career by taking on unbeaten prospects.

The Australian prospect is currently training for his US debut at the Top Rank gym in Las Vegas under the guidance of Derrick Harmon during a six-week training camp.

When asked about training in the US, Murray had this to say: “Work ethic and self-belief are the main things! Being around them, especially in that environment, not only inspires me but also rubs off. I have been training almost daily in the private Top Rank gym next to superstars like Devin Haney, Teofimo Lopez, and others. You become a product of your surroundings. When I am in the gym and I look to my left and see an undisputed world champion like Devin Haney putting in work like he is an unproven amateur, it inspires me to work harder and try to be as great as him. I realized early on that training and sparring in America are very different.

“There are no friends here, and no one is going to ‘work with you.’ You see people sparring in the ring, and there is often smack-talking, insults being traded, and relentless work. No one is there to be nice or friendly. It is dog-eat-dog. But I love it, and it feels like it is transforming me every day to improve and deal with this adversity for my boxing and my career.”

“Keep winning and making moves to better myself and my career, and with the team I have, anything is possible. I want to fight on a Top Rank card in Australia in front of all my friends, family, and Aussies,” said Murray about his future plans.

Murray vs. Torres promises to be an electrifying bout featuring two undefeated and hungry heavyweight prospects with the power to turn the lights out. And as they say in boxing, all it takes is one punch, especially in heavyweight boxing.

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