WHEN SEAN WAS KING OF THE RING
CLONGEEN HEAVY HITTER SEAN MURPHY’S BOXING LEGACY 25 YEARS ON FROM TITLE WIN
THIS March marks the 25th anniversary of Clongeen native Sean Murphy’s Irish National Superheavyweight title win over an established Kerry man.
Sean was the heavy underdog for that fight, with his opponent having recorded knock-outs in his previous eight bouts. But Sean made little of the underdog status, and instead turned the tables by flooring his fancied opponent in the first round. Sean accomplished this during his 12 years training out of St. Michael’s boxing club in New Ross.
Over the years he represented his country on several occasions. The Clongeen man also has the distinct honour of being the only Irish man to have stepped into the ring with Wladimir Klitschko, fighting against him the same year as his national win at the European Championships. Although not being victorious on that occasion, Sean held his own against the future world champion putting in a spirited performance. But boxing wasn’t the only sport Sean excelled at, also winning a junior All-Ireland hurling medal in 1985 for Wexford against Tipperary.
Sean’s coach from St Michael’s Stan Blanch fondly remembers Sean, saying that he is one of the most intriguing characters he has ever come across during his many years both as coach and former fighter himself.
On the surface Sean would present as a very quiet and unassuming individual, yet he possessed a very astute business mind having had several successful ventures over the years including as a vintner and in construction. Stan recalled some of the many times that this seemingly passive attitude and appearance caught so many people, including Stan himself, off guard once he stepped into the ring.
One such memory comes from the Irish championships in Dublin early in Sean’s career. Stan was backstage in the dressing room area where he caught a glimpse inside Sean’s opponent’s dressing room. At the time this fighter was the Canadian champion in his weight class having been flown over to compete by Denore boxing club in Dublin.
‘I vividly remember the scene resembling more in line with a Rocky film. The fighter built like Dolph Lundren’s character Ivan Drago in the fourth film and surrounded by an entourage hyping him up while he shadow boxed through his many combos,’ Stan said. ‘I was fearing a humiliating climax and returned to Sean’s dressing room to find him togged out in Clongeen GAA shorts, ordinary runners and enough wrist bandage to not even come close to covering his giant hands. I got quite agitated and told Sean to stop acting like a “country boy”. Sean simply replied “sure I am a country boy”. The feared immediate climax did occur but vice versa, the opening bell had barely rung when Sean floored his opponent knocking him out.’
A similar occurrence would again take place later in White’s of Wexford. Sean was to step into the ring with at the time Wexford’s top fighter who had future Olympic coach Billy Walsh in his corner. Sean arrived at the venue right at the last minute as was often the case having being ‘out on the farm’, and again knocking out his opponent almost immediately much to the shock of the local crowd. His opponent that night would choose never to fight again.
Stan recalls that Sean’s fighting style and conditioning was anything but orthodox, which several including world renowned Cuban coach Nicholas Cruz could never quite understand.
‘Sean’s style was akin to that of the legendary Rocky Marciano. Sean was no more than 5”10 and had a slight slouch in his posture. The latter created an unexpected blind sight for his opponents however in that it resulted in Sean having an impressive reach. Sean would be given the nickname “The
I WAS FEARING A HUMILIATING CLIMAX AND RETURNED TO SEAN’S DRESSING ROOM TO FIND HIM TOGGED OUT IN CLONGEEN GAA SHORTS AND ORDINARY RUNNERS
Scud Murphy” by former four-time Irish champion Diarmuid Greene from south Meath after fighting him.’
‘At the time Greene was renowned for his skilful and finesse style of boxing. He went into his bout with Sean as the heavy favourite with Sean having been written off by prominent boxing experts. Sean would again emerge victorious, this time via points. Greene would later comment when describing what had went wrong for him that the first time Sean hit him was like been struck by a scud missile being used in the then current Iraq and Iran conflict.’
It is because of his personality outside the ring and his seemingly alter-ego when inside it that Stan says that so many of his memories in the fight game are of Sean, saying that if he were to write a book of his career and experience that Sean would take up over half of it. Sean is currently involved with the Clongeen hurling set-up and Stan says that because of his character and attributes that he could not think of or recommend a better man to contribute and have around. This coming from a man who having both fought and coached so many individuals over several decades is quite a reference for any man to receive.