Martin Murray is determined to make the most of his chance when he takes on Felix Sturm on Friday night. The St Helens boxer faces the experienced German at the SAP-Arena in Mannheim, live on Sky Sports, looking to claim the WBA title in just his 24th professional fight. He will be hoping to succeed where Matthew Macklin failed, Sturm having clung on to his belt courtesy of a controversial points win over 'Mack the Knife' earlier this year.

Murray - who has only been twelve rounds once in his career - admits the opportunity has come a little earlier than he expected, although he's still confident he can triumph on his travels and bring the belt back home with him.

"My chance came and I've taken it," he told Sky Sports' Ringside show. "It wouldn't be ideal really, thinking of it, because I've only been 12 rounds once and he's been it God knows how many times. He's a very experienced fighter, but I'm younger, I'm fresher and I'm a lot hungrier than him. "

However it wasn't until his Prizefighter victory two years later, when he defeated Cello Renda in a thrilling final at the York Hall in Bethnal Green, that he made his presence felt in the domestic scene. Since then he has gone from strength-to-strength, becoming both British and Commonwealth champion.

"It was just the chance that we needed," he said of the eight-man Prizefighter event. "Unfortunately I never got with a big promoter starting off, so I've had to do it the hard way. We knew that we just needed a chance like that to show people what we're about and we grabbed it with both hands. It got me that exposure and things have just come from that really."