AND THE NEW – Colm Murphy wins Belfast Brawl brawl to win Commonwealth title
Colm Murphy heard ‘and the new’ for the third time in his young career in Belfast tonight.
The BUI Celtic and Irish title winner picked up the Commonwealth super-featherweight silver strap after winning a war of attrition in Belfast.
There was nothing ‘Posh’ about the brilliant ‘Posh Boy’s’ display, as he brawled his way to victory on the Belfast Brawl card.
The Belfast fighter rolled up his sleeves and went to work from the first bell, applying pressure that finally told midway through the final round.
A marked-up Jack Turner, who played his part in a brilliant fight, was taken to the doctor by referee Hugh Russell for the third time and this time the fight was waved off.
Most thought the bout was going to the cards but the cuts came from punches so the Dan Boyle-trained fighter had his hand raised in victory and adds another belt to his collection.
The skill sets Turner told us he had were on display from the off but so too was the pressure Murphy promised.
It was a close opening session with both landing scoring blows, although there was a sense that Murphy had managed to get in close earlier than expected and was setting a pace that looked like it may suit him.
‘Posh Boy’ piled forward in the second, happy to take some accurate jabs on the way in once it meant he could unleash fury on his Celtic cousin.
At one stage the pressure hit such a height Turner looked to his corner for help.
The third was similar with the Belfast fighter pushing the second Jack Turner on the bill to the ropes. The Scot, to his credit, was picking left hooks and landing a sneaky right hand, but the volume was all from a fired-up Murphy.
Turner seemed to find range in the first half of the first round, found two big right hands, and was making Murphy miss more regular than at any other time in the fight – but again Murphy found a way to impose himself on the fight.
The Mark Dunlop-managed fighter had the Glasgow native looking to hold after a big flurry and cut his opponent with a volley of hooks right on the bell.
The pattern continued into the sixth as the entertaining nature continued. The pace slowed in the sixth and it gave Turner the chance to show his shot-picking capabilities, although similar to the rounds previous Murphy finished strong and looked the fresher of the two and happier returning to the stool.
A lovely downstairs-upstairs combination sent Turner stumbling to the ropes in the seventh but Turner responded and was there for a crowd-pleasing exchange in the final seconds, which finished with a leg straightening Murphy left hook.
Murphy returned up the gears in the eight and had Turner’s face streaming blood. His pressure offered the Scot a route out but again to his credit, he was still there throwing.
The ref took Turner to the corner to get his cut checked in that round and the next. Leather flew and blood splattered in a brilliant ninth with Murphy bringing Turner to the trenches and Turner showing he has the stomach for the battle.
Both fighters stared each other down on the bell as if to say ‘I’ll see you in the tenth’.
Things were heating up but the cuts continued to bother referee Hugh Russell, he got them checked again, this time the doctor waved it off and the fight went to the cards.
Photo Credit Belfast Boxers.
