Martin Murray and Hassan N'Dam, both longing for another opportunity to fight for a middleweight world title, will square off with each other in an effort to get a step closer on Dec. 22 at Manchester Arena in Manchester, England, promoter Frank Warren announced Tuesday.
The bout will take place on the undercard of the show headlined by featherweight world titleholder Josh Warrington's first defense, against former two-division titleholder Carl Frampton. The card will stream live in the United States on ESPN+.
Murray (37-4-1, 17 KOs), 36, of England, is 0-3-1 in world title fights, losing to Gennady Golovkin and Sergio Martinez in middleweight title bouts and Arthur Abraham in a super middleweight title bout. He also fought to a draw with Felix Sturm in a middleweight title fight. But Murray has won four fights in a row and is angling for another chance.
"I don't want to be fighting in six- or eight-rounders against opponents who I am going to get out in two or three rounds. I need proper live opponents, and this guy is one, and he will be coming to win," Murray said. "It is just the sort of fight I need.
"I am creeping my way back up there. It has been a slow rebuilding process from the (George) Groves loss (in June 2016) for me, but I am keeping myself afloat now and a win against this guy will keep me in the mix."
N'Dam (36-3, 21 KOs), 34, of France, has twice won secondary middleweight world titles.
He claimed his second one by highly controversial split decision over Ryota Murata on Murata's turf in Japan in May 2017. An immediate rematch was ordered, and Murata stopped N'Dam in the seventh round in October 2017 to win the belt. N'Dam, who lost his first belt to "Kid Chocolate" Peter Quillin by decision in 2012, has not fought since the loss to Murata.
"He is obviously a good opponent, and I have known about him for a while," Murray said. "He is a former world champion and a good fighter. It's a good fight for me, one where I need to be on top of my game because he can box, he can move and he can fight, as well. I am happy with it."