By Terence Dooley
Manchester’s John Murray has been out of the ring for almost two years following his vacant WBA lightweight title fight against Brandon Rios at New York’s Madison Square Garden in December 2011. The former English, British and European lightweight champion almost saw his career slip away from him last November after a medical revealed a swollen pituitary gland. This left the BBBoC with no choice but to withdraw his licence, forcing Murray to pull the plug on a comeback fight against Gavin Rees.
Murray, 31-2 (18), was left in limbo, his career was on ice and the money he had earned in his title runs quickly dissipated; he was left wondering if he would ever box again and, if he couldn’t, what he was going to do with the rest of his life? The pressure of fighting is well documented, but the pressure that not being able to fight, and earn, can bring is overlooked. We forget that inactivity chips away at a fighter’s physical prime, depletes their savings and robs them of their identity.
“I was 18, I turned pro and was making alright money,” said Murray when speaking to BoxingScene ahead of Friday’s nights comeback fight at Manchester’s Bowlers venue, where he takes on Nicaragua's Michael Escobar, 7-10 (3), over eight-threes on a Coldwell Boxing show.
“I’d go out with my mates, splash the cash and that. Then the money would get low so you’d think: ‘Right, I’d better get in the gym and have a fight’. Then next thing you know you’re 28 and you think: ‘Hang about, what am I going to do now?’ Especially when it was taken away from me and I had nothing to fall back on — it was hard.”
Things got even tougher when he received the news about his pituitary gland and was forced to withdraw from the fight with Rees, a fight that Murray had trained diligently for and was convinced would be the launch pad for another world title tilt following successive defeats to Rios (RSF 11) and Kevin Mitchell (RSF 8 in July 2011).
“I was deep into training for Gavin Rees, I was really looking forward to it and had done everything right, because I’d lost two fights and couldn’t afford to lose a third one on the bounce,” he recalled. “Then I got the devastating news that I couldn’t fight. My manager [Mike Marsden] stormed in and said the fight was off, I said: ‘What’s up with him (Rees)?’ and Mike said: 'It’s not him it’s you'.
“I phoned the Board, they said they couldn’t say anything as it was a private matter between me and my doctor, so that made it worse. I was like: ‘Am I going to die?’, and I drove home wondering what was going to happen. Thankfully it’s all been sorted and I’ve got the all clear.
“I was itching to get going after the Rios fight. The news that I wouldn’t be able to fight again was devastating. It just seemed to drag on and on. It’s safety first in boxing — I appreciate and understand that, and I appreciate it’s better safe than sorry — so as much as I love boxing, I wouldn’t want to give my life in the ring for it. Everyone was just looking out for me.
“It was the hardest experience I’ve had in my life. I’ve dedicated my whole adult life to being a pro boxing. I wasn’t a stupid kid — I was in all the top sets at High School — and I could have gone on to college, University or got an Apprenticeship. Doors were open for me, but I decided to dedicate my life to boxing.
“All of a sudden, it looked like I wouldn’t be able to box again and I had to go out digging on the roads. I was like a 28-year-old school leaver. Footballers have the PFA, not all footballs make it in the sport, and they’re not left to fend for themselves. Boxers are put in the ring and for that little bit of time you’re treated well, especially if you’re successful, but then the money dries up and no one picks up the phone to say: ‘Alright mate, how’s things? Have you got yourself sorted with a job?’ It was hard times, but I’ve got people and friends around me. I’ve come through the other side and feel a lot more positive.”
Murray’s always had an understanding of the fleeting nature of his trade, he knows that he has a small physical window of opportunity and had often talked of the very real possibility that he could come out of boxing with nothing to show for his sacrifices except for some missing brain cells and without a trade. This worst-case scenario became a distinct possibility when he found himself left on the shelf.
“Boxing’s a decent living — although nowhere near the millions of pounds that people think you get when they see you on TV — but once you stop fighting the money soon runs out. Once you’ve stopped doing well the money goes, if you can’t get a job quickly the savings soon go as well.
“Not every fighter becomes a Ricky Hatton or David Haye. More needs to be put into place for these young lads, most of them are only 18 when they turn over, where they put so much in and it gets put to one side to pay for an apprenticeship or a course that they can be sent on for their futures. It is hard for fighters.
“I was really bitter about it, I hated boxing for a bit and thought it was a horrible game where you take young lads and their dreams then destroys them. It should be explained to them that it’s not always a dream. If you got an apprenticeship or became a plumber then at least you’d know your place in the world, I’m 28 and still don’t know my place in the world — I don’t know where I’m going to be in five years time. I can’t box forever so I need to know where I’m going to be, and I’m putting some things into place.
“These next four years are the most important in my career. I’m realistic, these next years in the sport are where I’ve got to get out with some money, my brains intact and have something to take with me when I get out.
“It’s given me a newfound respect for money, I’ve had things pretty easy over the years and it’s time to grow up, be a bit more wiser and clever with the money I make out of the game to set myself up for the future.”
Still, when talk turned to his fights, Murray’s face lit up and a huge grin broke out. He still loves fighting and his enthusiasm for a scrap hasn’t been dimmed. However, he also said that he intends to tailor his give-and-take approach to ensure that he can return to the top of the thriving domestic lightweight division.
“I’m very, very grateful that I got my licence back,” he said. “I’m looking forward to fighting again. The division’s red hot at the minute, there’s a lot of fights out there for me so I’m looking forward to getting out there and cracking some heads.”
Murray’s physical intensity is undimmed, clearly, yet he has added a touch more maturity and focus to his approach to life and boxing, so the lessons and tribulations of the last few years might turn out to be a blessing in disguise, a chance for Murray to rest his body, focus his mind and sharpen his desire. Good news for the 135lb division.
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