‘Self Doubt is a Factor’ – BBC Boxer Colm Murphy a Unique Headline Act
There is no room in boxing for self-doubt unless you’re Colm Murphy that is.
The vast majority of sweet science practitioners go well out of their way to appear to exude confidence and battle to keep a brave face in a bravado-packed world.
‘Posh Boy’s’ approach is different, in fact, the complete opposite.
Belfast has always celebrated the fact the Irish champion is cut from a different cloth. However, his extreme honesty about how self-doubt is a constant in his career will still raise eyebrows nonetheless.
“Self-doubt is a factor,” he tells Irish-boxing.com.
“I feel like I see myself through a bad lens. Maybe the way I look at other people, if I could switch that to me it would be handy.”
They are strange words to hear come out of a boxer’s mouth, although they help sum ‘Posh Boy’s’ uniqueness and why the fight public has taken him into their hearts.
While there is a sense all boxers have to face fears and deal with serious anxiety none ever verbalize them.
That may stem from a worry, that sharing the doubts may bring thoughts and concerns into existence hence the deliberate play to suppress fight fears.
However, for Murphy it’s different. The 25-year-old, who shares the ring with Kasimu Hamad Haji at the Ulster Hall this weekend, uses a lack of confidence as a motivating factor. The BUI Celtic and Irish title winner, who loves to fight, is driven by fears he’s not good enough and theorizes hard work will level the playing field.
“Realistically [self doubt] has kept me training hard. I don’t want to lose it all, so I don’t quit. I keep training, I keep training hard and putting everything into it,” he adds.
“I don’t think I am anything special. I never have. I’ve just come to realise I’m a hard worker. Hard work in boxing, in terms of working eight hours a day, has no immediate reward, but I feel intrinsically it has a reward further down the line. You might not get it in a months time but you will in a few years if you keep grinding.”
Some will argue that work ethic makes the popular Belfast fighter special. The Mark Dunlop mentored super featherweight has also achieved more in 11 fights than most of his peers and becomes the first man to top a BBC fight night since Olympic gold medal winner Audley Harrison, yet still that doubt exists.
However, he remains deliberately reluctant to give himself a pat on the back and honest about he believes he has already over-achieved.
“Honestly I thought I would have got knocked out five fights ago,” he adds.
“I feel like I’m living my dream. If you’d have told me at the start of my career I’d reach this stage I’d have grabbed it with both hands. As an amateur I didn’t even think I’d win an Irish title, to get that I had to pinch myself, so to get an Irish title as a pro it’s a dream come true. ”
