Ron Medich, who will go on trial for the murder of Michael McGurk, insists he's innocent and should have avoided ex-boxer Lucky Gattellari "like the plague".

The Sydney property tycoon is accused of conscripting Gattellari to arrange the fatal shooting of businessman Mr McGurk outside Mr McGurk's Cremorne home in September 2009.

Gattellari, a former boxing champion, then enlisted Haissam Safetli and Senad Kaminic to help.

All three have been jailed for their parts in the murder.

Of the five men charged, only Medich and alleged trigger man Christopher Estephan, maintain their innocence.

Magistrate Jan Stevenson committed Medich to trial in Sydney's Central Local Court on Friday for murder on the basis of a joint criminal enterprise and for intimidating Mr McGurk's wife.

In a statement read to the court Medich denied he had anything to do with the murder despite being in a financial dispute with Mr McGurk at the time.

He also denied intimidating Mrs McGurk.

The murder of Mr McGurk was a terrible and unwarranted thing, he told the court.

"I am not a violent person. I have never been a violent or physically aggressive man and I did not authorise anyone ever ... to harm or hurt or threaten anyone connected with this case," he said.

He said he once regarded Gattellari as friend and supporter but had since discovered he was wrong, admitting that he was not a particularly good judge of character.

Gattellari was a cunning and dishonest person who had stolen and misappropriated money from him, Medich said.

He should have taken the advice of family members with regards to Gattellari, he said.

"With hindsight I should have avoided him like the plague," he said.

Medich said Gattellari was trying to "put me in" so Gattellari's sentence would be reduced.

"I will be vindicated, no matter how long it takes," he said.

The committal trial for Estephan continues and will next be mentioned on October 11.