MURPHY, AUSTRALIAN BILLY CABINET CARD

Thomas William Murphy (aka Australian Billy Murphy and Torpedo Billy Murphy) (3 November 1863 – 26 July 1939) was a boxer from New Zealand. An early World Featherweight Champion, he was the first world champion in any class to come from New Zealand. In his early career, he took the New Zealand Lightweight Championship. He was a prolific boxer who fought more than two hundred fights, with a few going as long as thirty and forty rounds. He was known more for a powerful punch than an exceptional defense. Murphey won the World Featherweight title on 13 January 1890 defeating Ike Weir in a fourteenth round knockout at the California Athletic Club in San Francisco, California. In the final round, possibly to show his dominance and contempt for his opponent, Weir did a backflip. Murphey immediately unloaded a serious right as Weir landed, known as the "torpedo punch", which resulted in a knockdown that ended the bout after a count of ten. The purse for the fight was $2,250. According to one source, Weir, who led through much of the bout, was down repeatedly in the thirteenth round when Murphy rallied. In a rematch, on 2 November 1893, Murphy lost to Weir in a sixth round knockout, which was one of the high points of Weir's late career. In the fourth round, Weir knocked Murphy entirely out of the ring. Weir successfully used his clever ducking and bobbing as a defense in the fight, avoiding Murphy's powerful right which had plagued him in their earlier title bout. Offered here is an original cabinet card of Australian Billy Murphy as he looked at the height of his career.
This is an original John Wood Studio of New York cabinet card depicting Murphy in full, fight pose. Slight fading to image. Not creased or torn. Clean front and back. Minor corner wear. 4 1/4" x 6 1/2." Rare.