WORLD middleweight title contender Martin Murray will be in prime mental and physical condition when he flies into Monaco to challenge the formidable Gennady Golovkin for a world crown, writes Mike Critchley.

Having spent the past six weeks training at altitude in South Africa, cut off from his home comforts and family life, Murray is confident that he can make the pundits and the bookmakers eat their words on Saturday night.

The 32-year-old Warrington-based fighter has gone close in his previous two world title bouts, drawing with Felix Sturm in Germany and then suffering a controversial points defeat to Argentine Sergio Martinez in his own back yard.

But the clash against the unbeaten Golovkin, who has knocked out 28 of his 31 opponents, is Murray’s most formidable to date.

The world will be watching when the pair go toe-to-toe for Golovkin’s WBA Super World middleweight, interim WBC World middleweight and IBO middleweight titles at the Salle des Étoiles concert hall in Monte Carlo on Saturday night.

The bookmakers have already made up their minds with Golovkin listed by some at 1/33, with Murray’s lowest price being 7/1.

But Murray, who hails from St Helens, has not spent the last six months being intimidated by the You Tube collections of Golovkin’s biggest hits and has that inner belief that he can take the three belts from the fearsome Kazakh fighter.

He views Saturday night’s showdown as a win-win situation.

Murray said: “Golovkin is favourite, but I have been in this position before against Martinez.

“I don’t focus on what people say, the more people who think he’ll beat me the better.

“This is going to be a war and I’m willing to do anything it takes.

“Golovkin is a punching power machine, but I have the tools to beat him.”

Saturday night’s fight in Monte Carlo is being broadcast all over the world.

Channel 5 is broadcasting the night live from 10pm, with the main event scheduled to start at around 10.45pm - but the timing is subject to change.