ST HELENS middleweight Martin Murray believes his element of surprise has now gone after his storming performance against Sergio Martinez and future opponents will know exactly what sort of tough fight they are going to get.

The 30-year-old from Fingerpost was reflecting on his display in the Argentine capital last month when the judges controversially left the belt with Martinez.

But after coming through that bout with his head held high, Murray spoke of the satisfaction in his effort, his gratitude to his family and friends for their backing and a re-assurance that he is now well placed to direct his future battles in the ring.

Murray said: “It did not end how we wanted it but we came away with our heads held high. We did everyone proud over there.

“I showed that we belong up there against one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world.”

For 12 rounds, Murray was the ultimate party-pooper with his combative style stopping the Argentine from thrilling the 40,000 fans who had come expecting to see Martinez show off his punching power.

That is not how the script went.

“I knew as soon as he picked me that he’d picked the wrong fight.

“He was hoping to get me in to finish me off in a couple of rounds and get me done and dusted, but I knew that was not going to be the case.

“I thought Felix Sturm looked at me and gave me the chance and he was shocked with what I did.

“Maybe Martinez watched that and thought he could beat me and he was shocked too.

“But after that last fight I think I have broke it now and won’t be able to shock anyone any more.

“Nobody is going to be taking me lightly in future.

“People must look at me and watch me fight and think ‘I can beat him’ but its always different when they get in the ring with me.

“I must just look like a fighter they think they can beat. When I get in there it is a different story.”

As reported in last week’s Star, there is much talk of an early bout in Mexico against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr but there is no haste to grab that such is Murray’s new standing in the world order.

“The Martinez performance is going to open doors for me but I am having a couple of weeks rest, I’ll get back into the gym, work hard and keep improving and chipping away and my time will come again.

“I just have to be careful how I plan my next route. I am still getting into my prime and rather than it being us calling the big people out, they are now asking to fight us.

“That is a good thing a good feeling. We don’t have to rush because we are up there and are involved and up there with the elite fighters now,” he said.

Overall Murray really enjoyed the whole experience in Argentina and on the whole was treated well and delighted with how it went apart from the result.

However, he did explain that the atmosphere in the stadium was a real lions’ den.

“I loved the ring walk – it was a great feeling walking through but it was all a bit mad, I was getting spat at and we had drinks thrown at us but it was unbelievable experience.

“And afterwards, as soon as they read the scores out, the crowd started throwing chairs at my friends and family who had gone over.

“The police had to rush them out and put them in a room in the ground. After that they gave them a police convit oy back to the hotel.

“Overall was a mad experience.

“That is is why when come along you have got to enjoy them – if I had gone into a shell and started crumbling there I’d have been finished,” he said.