I always thought Murray Sutherland could have benefited a great deal from the existance of the super middleweight division. It's true that he was the first 168 pound world champion, but he was already past his best when the IBF inaugurated the division. How would he do in the SMW division today?
What? No love for Murray? I think he'd do well in the current scene at 168. Sutherland verses Froch, Kessler, or Abraham would all be good fights, and he'd demolish Allan Green.
I liked Murray. I also have a fight (Marvin Johnson vs Jean Marie Emebbe) where Murray is the color commentator. Pretty good. This Super Middleweight tournament, while being interesting and good for boxing, has left me underawed at the current group. I think Murray could edge Froch and Abraham and possibly Kessler. I'm not sure what to make of Dirrell just yet. I think Ward might be a little to athletic for him. Haven't seen enough of Bute. To summarize, I think if we placed Murray in the tourney, he'd have a winning record and could be a darkhorse to win it. After all, this is a man who handled himself proudly against some greats.
Good post. Sutherland's resume reads like a who's who of 70's and 80's MWs and LHWs. He faced much better competition than anybody at 168 today.
He would do well, though Pierre Fourie would have benefited even more.He was a genuinely excellent 168lber.
Andre Ward will be P4P no. 1 when Pacweather retires (or possibly on principled grounds if Mayweather ends up fighting a Matthew Hatton). There are diffuse tiers of class in the Super Six.
I didn't realize Fourie was that small at his peak. As for Murray Sutherland, he would have excelled in today's super middleweight division.
Sutherland would be one of the top guys but not the best. Id pick him over Froch,Greene,Kessler(maybe) however i dont think he beats Ward,Dirrell,Bute hed be even money with Abraham. Maybe even out hustle Arthur.
The recent passing of my home boy Denny Moyer got me to thinking about the unsung heros of the greatest sport in the world. I think Murray Sutherland is one of those "unsung heros." During this trip down memory lane I watched the Sutherland/Hearns fight. That fight took place 27 years ago. I've watched it several times. I am fully aware of the outcome, and Tommy Hearns is one of my top 5 all time favorites, but I still catch myself rooting for Sutherland. If we took the early 80's version of Sutherland, who lost LHW world title fights to Matthew Saad Muhammed and Micheal Spinks, and dropped him in the Super six, I would not be one bit surprised to see him win the tournament, or at least make the final. Sutherland won some and lost some, but he never ducked, dodged, or fiddle farted around. He fought the best fighters of his era, and over the course of his 63 fight career he nearly always gave a good account of himself. Even when he was over matched and out gunned it was a still pleasure and a privledge to watch Sutherland fight. In the immortal words of Apollo Creed, "It's to bad we gotta get old."
Sutherland was a colorful character as well as a spirited competitor. (He actually got the crowd in Worcester to cheer for him against local hero Robbie Sims. It was scored a draw, but I thought Murray won it by a shade.) Having the likes of him around today would be good for the sport. Along with Ocasio, one of the first of his era to win a title by dropping down in weight. Highly credible at 160 or 175. (This is somebody I'd like to have a pint with, and hear him compare Saad Muhammad, Michael Spinks, Hearns, Ramos, Singletary, Czyz and Scypion. He experienced a lot of history, and hung in there with many of the monster punchers of his era.)
So what the hell is Sutherland up to these days? I heard he was training a fighter or two there for awhile. Anybody have the low-down on what he's doing now?
