Murphy and Evloev in cold UFC London staredown

Movsar Evloev (left) and Lerone Murphy are 37 fights unbeaten between them [Getty Images] Lerone Murphy and Movsar Evloev engaged in cold staredown as the pair faced off before their UFC London featherweight bout at the O2 Arena on Saturday. Manchester fighter Murphy was warmly applauded by fans as he took to the stage, while Russia's Evloev was booed before the pair went eye-to-eye in a tense face-off. The fight has both athletes putting their undefeated records on the line with Murphy, 34, undefeated in 18 bouts and Evloev winning all 19 of his.

"Ready for a war, ready to kill. That's it - simple," said Murphy, before he calmly walked off stage. Evloev, 32, cut a cool and collected figure, as he has throughout fight week, before replying: "He's not ready for a war - I'll show it tomorrow.

" In perhaps a statement of intent, Murphy was first on the scales out of every fighter on the card during the morning's official weigh-ins, clocking 145lb (10st 3lb), with Evloev weighing one pound heavier. Murphy was not serenaded by fans like British UFC London stars such as Tom Aspinall and Paddy Pimblett who have fought in previous years, but it allowed him to maintain his focus as he shadowboxed while waiting for Evloev's arrival. The fight between Murphy and Evloev will help determine the next challenger for Alexander Volkanovski's featherweight title, though it has not been branded a number one contender fight by the UFC.

Murphy is third in the UFC's featherweight rankings with Evloev first, but sixth-ranked Jean Silva has suggested he may also jump the queue to fight Volkanovski. Murphy's last fight ended in spectacular fashion with the Mancunian knocking out Aaron Pico with a spinning elbow to thrust himself into title contention. But instead the UFC matched Volkanovski with second-ranked Diego Lopes who the champion had beaten 10 months prior - a move which Murphy says "woke me up to a lot of things".