This content is protected This content is protected This content is protected 1. Murphy attempted to hammer away at Maxim's midsection, but Maxim won't cooperate. He constantly ties Murphy up and mauls him. Murphy. 3. Maxim trades with Murphy more on Murphy's level (a rarity for Maxim). The left hook works the best for Maxim. 4. Maxim. 7. Pretty savage. Both just chopping each other up with hooks and uppercuts. Maxim. 10. Murphy's work looking "ragged", says the commentator. Maxim beginning to inflict a beating on Murphy. Maxim. 11. Murphy momentarily increased his work rate. Murphy. 13. Maxim. 14. Maxim. (Round 15 not shown) Verdict: Just plain awful. One of the worst fights I've seen to date. Only the tough 7th round managed to keep me awake (just kidding).I'm sorry if I seem harsh. It's only my own opinion that this was an absolute eye-sore, if you can watch it, enjoy it, and pull some profound fact or observation from it, you are a greater student of pugilistics than I am. Good for you. All two of you.
Fun fact Harry Matthews was supposed to get this shot at the belt but his manager Hurley turned down a shot after Matthews had beaten Murphy in a tough match (I didn’t watch that one although I know it was filmed). Opting instead to fight Marciano in a title eliminator bout.
I think this fun fact is incorrect. Matthews was not offered a shot in 1951 despite defeating Murphy decisively. He was not an IBC fighter and so was frozen out. What happened is that the US senate got involved because a senator from the northwest, I think Warren Magneson, began to demand scrutiny of the IBC as a corrupt monopoly. Matthews meanwhile was fighting heavyweights with success, including a defeat of Rex Layne. Jack Hurley campaiged for a shot at the heavyweight championship, where the big money was. The shot at Maxim was offered in 1952 to deflect Matthews away from fights with the top heavyweights and to appease the senate. Hurley opted instead for an elimination with Marciano, the winner to get the champion, who was Walcott after he upset Charles. Much of what one reads about Matthews is obviously untrue. For example, that he was going to cut weight and fight Robinson for the middle championship. Matthews hadn't fought in the middleweight division since before WW2. That he was having difficulty making the light-heavyweight limit of 175 seems true, and he fought the rest of his career at heavy. That he could have made 160 seems crazy. If there was ever negotiations for a Robinson fight, it was most likely as an over the weight tune up for Robinson with the winner to get Maxim. Matthews in the early 1950's might well have been a bigger box office draw than Maxim even though he was not champion. He had a punch.
"Just plain awful." Fair enough, at least for Murphy. Because of his punch, he was popular I guess, but he comes across to me as a dull mauler with almost no style. Maxim certainly had first rate defensive skills. Way too much for an unschooled mauler like Murphy. Maxim didn't appear to get hit cleanly very often. His own offense was minimal, but he couldn't seem to miss Murphy not only with his jab, but with those left-right combinations. If Maxim had any kind of punch, Murphy would have been carried out. As for me watching or even enjoying the fight, I'm the type of guy who often enjoys a crummy movie because it is "so bad it is good" and so perversely fun to watch. I can't say this fight was, but some might look at it that way. As for Murphy, I think the second LaMotta fight was actually entertaining. Thanks for posting and commenting.
Judging by what you wrote I’m assuming we are referring to the same article. Your assertion is that it’s not true?
Do you think a Robinson fight for the middleweight championship could be true? Look up Matthews' weights for fights. As for Matthews being offered a title shot in 1951, there was a big stink that he hadn't which went all the way to the senate becoming involved. I have a bound copy of The Ring 1952 editions. The Ring was among those backing Matthews. The IBC was getting into anti-Trust trouble and offered Matthews in 1952 a shot at Maxim to turn down the heat. Hurley and Matthews lost The Ring's support when they turned down this fight to go after the heavyweight title. Why did Hurley make this decision? Most likely Hurley felt he would get a bigger payday fighting Marciano, and I think he must have felt that Matthews could beat Marciano and thus earn a shot at the big prize. What may have been in play concerning a Maxim fight is that Joey always went the distance, and almost always made his fights competitive even if he didn't win. So a Maxim-Matthews fight likely would have gone to the judges. Could Matthews have expected a fair shake from IBC cleared judges? *I don't remember any mention in The Ring in 1952 of a proposed Robinson-Matthews fight.
Ohh think I misread what you wrote. You’re saying he wasn’t offered the fight in 51 but in 52 after Murphy already fought Maxim. Thought you were saying Hurley never turned down a fight for the LHW title. I don’t think Hurley cared for his fighters to much. He may had taken that Robinson fight if the money was right even if it killed Matthews to go lower lol. Matthews was an interesting fighter.
