Jason Quigley confirms he’s in talks to challenge for WBA title

Jason Quigley may have missed the good Irish weather upon returning to Donegal this week, but he looks on course to secure the biggest fight of his career.

14-0 (11 KOs) Jason Quigley is in talks to fight Ryota Murata for the WBA regular title in Las Vegas on October 20. The Donegal middleweight confirmed to SportsJOE that the initial report from Dan Rafael of ESPN was true. No contract has been signed, but the champion is locked in to defend his strap on that date. He just needs a challenger and Quigley more than fits the bill.

"The WBA wants somebody that's going to challenge for the belt. They want a worthy champion that's worth having the belt. All these world boxing organisations, they don't want nobodies having the belt. They want the most popular and the best fighters with the belt because it puts the ranking of the belt higher up on the ladder." "I'm a brilliant candidate for that fight. I'm top four in the WBC rankings, top nine in the WBA and there's a lot of talk about me."

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Usurping the throne

Murata (14-1) secured the belt by beating Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam in a rematch in October 2017. Although Quigley believes Murata is a 'brilliant champion,' he feels he matches up very well against the 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist.

"He's the defending champion. Top Rank have the team. They're the ones who came looking for me. Top Rank are a very well-established group. They have a lot of smart people and businessmen behind them, but when they came searching for me, they made a big, big mistake." "He's a tough come-forward fighter, he'll be in your face all night, but that suits me down to the ground. I'm a boxer, I'm a mover, I can use my jab, I can use my footwork. Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam beat him by split decision already. Hassan is a slick operator and a great boxer, but he's not as good as me. I wouldn't take a fight unless I knew I could win it. I know 100% I can go to Las Vegas, lift that title and become the WBA world champion."

27-year-old Quigley made a successful comeback this year from a 53-week long injury layoff. He came back with a bang from the broken hand that detached and shredded a major tendon in his right wrist with a stunning stoppage of tough Puerto Rican Daniel Rosario at the end of March. Once he gets that belt wrapped around his waist, he has his sights set on the division's elite.

"Once I become world champion, looking at the likes of Canelo, Golovkn and all the world champions out there, I want it all. I'm not here just to become world champion or make a few pound and go on with it, I want to leave a legacy behind me. I want my name to be remembered for the fights I won and my acchievements. If Golovkin becomes the man after I become world champion, that's the way it goes. I won't have a problem fighting him, Canelo or anybody out there."

It's onwards and upwards for the Ballybofey native.