“Self-doubt is a factor” – Honest Colm Murphy gives rare insight
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 at all costs 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 is cut from a different cloth but 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, yet refreshing ones.
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 24-year-old, who faces Scot Jack Turner for the Commonwealth silver title on Friday’s Belfast Brawl card, uses a lack of confidence as a motivating factor. The BUI Celtic and Irish title winner 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 but 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. I’m 11-0 now and if you’d have told me at the start of my career I’d reach 11-0 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. ” he adds before revealing he will try and make the most of his chance live on TNT this weekend.
“This is such an opportunity and I’m trying to suck it in and soak it all up.”
