Murphy takes first fighting steps on long road to the top

What Cusack, O’Neill and Duffy come up with should constitute plenty of change for now.

Noel Murphy has swapped Macroom for New York but he won’t be settled properly until he has achieved his dream.

He’s not the first or the last young Irish person to follow a similar path but it would be safe to suggest that he is the most focused of this current crop of émigrés.

The 20-year-old boxer will enter the professional ring for the first time next month in Queens, bringing to a close this first stage of his ambitious plan.

The welterweight first grabbed the attention of fellow Corkonian Kevin Crowley two years ago when, as an amateur, he made the trip across from Ireland to take part in a club competition.

The Carrigtwohill-born promoter told Murphy there and then that should he ever wish to give it a go at the professional level, there would be a ready made base for him in the Bronx.

Murphy arrived back over this summer to dip his toes in the water. He worked out at the level that would be demanded for six or seven weeks and then assessed his goals back in Macroom.

It was an easy decision. He loves training, he loves eating well and he doesn’t drink. In short, he brings with him the sort of focus required to embark on this journey.

He landed back in New York at the start of October with all the natural trepidations experienced by any young lad leaving home.

Boxing is as uncertain as it gets but his dream was too vital and his family were as supportive as they could be.

“I’ve been boxing since I was 10,” Murphy told me by phone on Monday. “I’m like any young fighter — I want to make it to the top. This was a good opportunity and Kevin helped set me up.”

It’s interesting to speak with someone like Murphy, beginning their bid to be the best. He’s coy of course and also very inexperienced at dealing with the likes of me — a fact he cheerfully admits.

“I’m not going to be the sort of fighter that brags,” he insists. “I really want my work rate and record to speak for itself. I admire the big talking boxers, don’t get me wrong. But that isn’t me.

“I’ve been working as hard as I can here. Spending as much time as I can in the gym and getting myself ready.”

The values instilled in him by trainer Tom Power while growing up at the modestly sized but vibrant Macroom Boxing Club have carried with him. Not to mention his gradual climb to the top of the amateur ranks in Ireland.

“It took me a long time to win a national title,” Murphy explained, “and when I did … it was an incredible feeling. I was 17 and I think I was able to appreciate it more, to understand the work involved to be the best.”

He followed that up with another national title and after a total of 116 amateur fights, Rebel Boxing Management will send him into the ring on November 21 at the World Resorts Casino in Queens.

“I’m not sure what Kevin saw in me when I was 18 — that’s a question for him,” he responds honestly. “But I’m confident enough in my own ability and I’m more than willing to do the work.

“The only real sacrifice I’m making is leaving my family and friends. But the support back home has been great. I’m getting so much encouragement through Facebook — there seems to be a big buzz back there.

“I have a few cousins coming over to watch me. It means a lot, of course it does.”

One or either of Kamal Mohamed from Harlem or William Fouth from Florida will be his opponent but he insists he doesn’t care who it is, he’ll be ready.

It’s not fair of me to try and figure out what will be going through his head on the day of the fight. He’s already resigned to shutting any and all deep thoughts out.

“Hopefully I won’t be thinking too much,” he laughs. “I won’t be nervous — I’ll just be completely focused on getting a performance. If I’m good enough, the result will go my way.”

He has been training with Marcus Suarez and shares the gym with his stablemate, hot prospect junior lightweight Bryant Cruz (12-0). “Yeah I love it out here. It’s a different pace of life. It’s a great community in Woodlawn and everybody is very encouraging. The experience has been enjoyable but I know where I want to be. I won’t be happy until I’m closer to my dream.”

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