LERONE MURPHY insists a win over Josh Emmett will be his ticket to a crack at UFC featherweight gold.
Seven wins in a row have firmly established the mauler as one of the elite in the talent-rich 145lbs division.
Murphy's latest step up in competition sees him take on divisional mainstay and devastating knockout artist Emmett early on Sunday morning in the main event of UFC Vegas 105.
Claiming the scalp of former interim title challenger Emmett, something which propelled former 145lbs king Ilia Topuria to a title shot, would be the biggest of Murphy's unblemished career.
And he believes it will more warrant a crack at becoming the UK's fourth UFC titleholder, telling SunSport in an exclusive interview: “They have to [give me a title shot].
“Who else has done what I've done in the division? Everybody else has had their shot, right?
“You see Yair [Rodriguez], I think he's had two or three shots. Everybody else has fought for the title, everybody else has had their shot.
“I believe I'll be 16-0-1 if I beat Josh Emmett. So yeah, I believe I deserve it.”
Murphy believes the step up in competition, as well as a second main event in his last three outings, is a sign the UFC brass are grooming him for a title shot.
He said: “I feel like I'm in my prime and this is the right time to be doing that.
“And you can see with the matchups they're giving me and the main events that they're preparing me for an eventual title shot.
“These five-round fights are to prepare you for that.
“Obviously, there are guys in the division that bypass that and go straight to the title from three-round fights.
“But [I'm convinced] this is all to prepare me for that title shot.”
Murphy's excitement at the prospect of getting a title shot with an emphatic win over Emmett is clear and evident.
Although he is somewhat disappointed with the location for the biggest fight of his career.
“I did ask for UFC London,” he said. “I was preparing for London, but they [the UFC] said, ‘Josh Emmett doesn't want to fight in London.' So we're here.”
Emmett, 40, will be the hardest hitter Murphy has faced in his career, although the Manc isn't too fussed about the dynamite the Team Alpha Male standout has in his hands.
“We know it hits hard,” Murphy said. “But I've fought back-to-back dangerous guys. So it will be what it'll be.
“Everybody hits hard in four-ounce gloves anyway.”
Who else has done what I've done in the division?
Lerone Murphy
Apparent disregard for Emmett's power aside, Murphy insists he won't be thinking of a title shot when the fists start flying.
He said: “When you've been in the actual cage, you understand that that's all that matters at that moment.
“I know how big this fight is, I know how good Josh is, I know what I have to do and what I have to go through to get this win.
“So how can I look past that? It's impossible to look past that.”
Like Murphy, an emphatic win at the Apex will catapult Emmett's hopes of vying for undisputed UFC gold.
But Murphy plans to dash the American's dream of becoming the king of the featherweights by using his famed aggression against him.
“I believe he's gonna try to put pressure on me with high-pressure wrestling.
“But obviously, my plan is to keep him at range and pick him off and hopefully make him walk into something big.”
