An Ode to Jamie Morrissey- A Throwback Career Positively Influencing the Future
An open eloquent and thoughtful communicator. Someone not afraid to share his vulnerabilities. At first glance, Jamie Morrissey didn’t scream old-school.
The intensity in which he discussed in-ring violence and his kill-or-kill-be attitude advertised his fighting spirit – but his model looks, unblemished face, and in-place nose are not of an old-fashioned warrior.
Equally, the Muay Thai convert’s path to boxing was anything but traditional.
Yet, Jamie Morrissey was wonderfully throwback and his recently ended career was a retro one!
In fact, in true non-old school ‘hipster’ fashion, his boxing stay was so retro that it’s become in vogue again, much to the benefit of Irish boxing.
The tributes paid to Morrissey after he confirmed he hung up his gloves this week, suggested his career was of the ‘brightest lights burn fastest’ kind. However, the truth is, Morrissey lit a torch that still burns and will continue to light up Irish boxing over the coming years.
Maybe not as obvious as the legacy left by his fellow Limerick fighters like the legendary Andy Lee or Willie Casey, who inspired the travelling community and changed perceptions in a European title-winning reign, or even comeback from depths battler Graham McCormack, but Morrissey has had a lasting impact.
Morrissey’s legacy will be seen in many a future domestic war, Irish Fight of the Year contenders, and the kind of tense exciting leave-everything-in-the-ring clashes that are the lifeblood of the sport on this island.
For it was the two-weight BUI Celtic Champion who set a new tone and inspired many to dance to a new beat.
The boxer who debuted under the Boxing Ireland banner and won titles as an IGB fighter was straight into domestic action in just his second fight when he stepped in to fight Robbie Burke in his second pro fight at a day’s notice.
Dublin’s Burke also deserves massive credit for accepting the fight, which was voted Fight of the Year, but Morrissey went on an incomparable run of early fights after.
His fourth fight was a BUI Celtic win over Ben McGivern and from there it was straight in with the equally brave Kevin Cronin and another Fight of the Year nominated bout.
Such was that fight and such was the run, the Limerick man would have been forgiven for taking a breath and contesting a learning fight or seeking a routine win next.
However, he was nigh insulted by such suggestions. Morrissey wanted to stay true to his ‘fight anyone’ mantra – as to his credit did Cronin – and rematched the Kerry fighter within two months in the 2023 Fight of the Year.
By that stage it was more than a faster-than-usual start, it was clear it was a ‘noteworthy fights only’ policy. Agreeing to put his BUI Celtic title on the line against Olympian and a man earmarked for stardom at the weight, Emmet Brennan, who turned over saying he wanted to do it the Morrissey way, proved that further.
Defeat forced the popular figure to take a back-to-winning ways fight but was preparing for a title bout this month when a broken hand prompted him to retire.
It was the end of a brief three-year nine-fight career but a career that had more impact than some 40-fight innings.
Granted there have been tens of Irish fighters who have sought for, and found, domestic action early and the Celtic title, which was born in sensational fashion when Block Reynolds and Declan Trainor fought over a decade ago, has helped facilitate the all-Irish fight.
However, there was something about Morrissey’s domestic approach that inspired and it’s had a huge impact on the landscape at present. It’s reached a stage where domestic action is becoming a staple of any show. Subsequently, a more regular feeding of the kind of excitement only domestic fights can bring has left fans hungry for more. Tolerance for learning fights has decreased and there is more pressure on managers, promoters, and even boxers to put entertainment first.
Even earlier this month, youngster Matthew Tyndall stepped in at relatively short notice to take on Senan Kelly in an Irish title fight – something which would have been largely unheard of pre-Morrissey.
Having seen too many fights simmer until they get burnt, there is less acceptance for the ‘let it build’ promotional ploy.
It’s hard to put a finger on exactly how Morrissey inspired the change but it is clear his fingerprints are all over it.
There is a sense he pulled back the curtain a bit and exposed some of the trickery around building records and managed to shine a light on the over-exaggerated value of the 0 in boxing.
The media attention, fan love and respect he got for putting together a run of noteworthy fights inspired some to try and follow suit and no doubt shamed others to consider the approach. Similarly, the interest around his bouts with Cronin and Brennan in particular, as well as, the entertaining nature of each would have got promoters thinking.
Although, potentially most influential is how the fight-keen boxer showed fight makers, fight consumers, and fighters alike that not every boxer needs to have the same journey. The majority of boxers who turn over are not going to be world champions or even reach Irish title level and thus don’t need to follow the world champion promotional formula. A different manual can be applied and, just like Morrissey did, boxers not destined for the highest level can have memorable careers that will be remembered fondly over the course of time.
The best way to ensure that happens? Be involved exciting domestic fights fans love to witness, talk about, and reminisce over. Morrissey has certainly been in enough of those and as such is a new school throwback that retires with a lasting legacy.
Photo Credit Mark Mead
