This content is protected Here's a highlight reel I made for him. Credits to @William Walker for handing me some very rare footage. Without him I may not able to do this video. So... Enjoy!
Thanks for posting. Lots of fun watching. What is interesting about Murphy is that he was doing okay, but generally beating guys who were fringe contenders like Whitlock, or green like Cotton, and aging like Marshall, until he was badly outpointed by Matthews. Murphy then goes on a big roll with KO wins over Bucceroni, Nardico and LaMotta as he was built up for the Maxim challenge rather than Matthews. He loses badly to Maxim, and afterwards is just an ordinary fighter, losing quite often, including a loss in a return to LaMotta. The IBC's reputation being what it is, it all seems rather convenient and one must wonder about tank jobs. His run freezes Matthews and Hurley out of the picture which is exactly what the IBC desired. In fairness, though, the big names he was beating, Bucceroni, Nardico, and LaMotta, were right in front of him, while Matthew and Maxim were boxers. Still, being the cynical sort I am, I wonder.
Murphy was a brawler and he took a lot of punishment even when he won, so he had a short shelf life. He was good while he lasted, but the toll he took caught up with him quickly. Also, it might have been a matter of motivation. He'd shot his bolt and became discouraged. It's interesting how his weight fluctuated wildly in his last few fights. Almost like he was toying with the idea of returning to the middleweight division like he had been at the beginning of his pro career.
