Articles and media mentions of Torpedo Billy Murphy
hat do John Banks, Bob Harvey and Billy Murphy have in common?
By John Elliot,
Ponsonby News.
Published July 2010, www.ponsonbynews.co.nz
No, Billy Murphy is not a politician, and never was. He was, however, a bare knuckle fighter, which may have come in handy as a Super City candidate. Billy was a world champion boxer - the only one New Zealand has ever produced - and he held the world featherweight title in 1890. Featherweight? Yes, he was only 51t 6in tall (about 169cm) and weighed just 8st 31b (that's 52 kilos).
And so what is the connection to John Banks and Bob Harvey? Like Banks and Harvey, Torpedo Billy Murphy, as he was known, was born in Auckland's Arch Hill. Born on 26 March 1862, he was the son of Irish immigrants James and Johanna.
Billy was one of four Murphy boys who boxed well. He trained as a tailor, but boxing became his life. He soon beat all comers in New Zealand, including heavyweights and headed overseas for better competition.
On the 120th anniversary of Billy Murphy's world title success in San Francisco, his great nephew Dillon Kennedy and other family members propose erecting a bronze slatue to his memory somewhere near his birthplace.
It would be a fitting tribute to this gutsy little fighter, who in his heyday often fought more than one opponent on the same nigh! - sometimes for forty rounds. Billy Murphy once fought the last 25 rounds of a fight with a broken hand. Billy had possibly the heaviest punch of anyone his size, ever. When over forty years of age he knocked out Walter Doman, a 15 stone heavyweight, in one round at Stratford.
In his later years, Billy returned to tailoring, setting up shop in Dominion Road. But ever the pugilist, Billy also had a boxing ring installed out the back, where he coached and hosted fights, and sometimes fought himself.
Descendent Dillon Kennedy relates a lovely story from those twilight years. A young American knocked on the shop door. Billy Murphy answered the knock. "I'm looking for Torpedo Billy Murphy", the young man said. "I hear he's always up for a fight". "Sure", says Billy, "that's me. Come in", The American boy looked at the aging forty something Murphy in disbelief. "It can't be you. You're too old to fight".
Murphy took the young guy out the back, showed him the ring, established his credentials, called in all his mates, set up the fight, and whipped the boy in no time flat.
Although Murphy won a princely $2,250 and a handsome diamond-studded belt for his world title victory, he never made a fortune out of boxing. Murphy finished his career, well into his forties, touring a boxing booth around the North Island offering to fight all comers.
Torpedo Billy Murphy was a true New Zealand champion, and he deserves to have permanent recognition in his home town. The family are seeking financial support to erect an approximately $90,000 dollar bronze statue, perhaps in Western Park.
Auckland City Mayor John Banks and the Western Bays Community Board have expressed their support in principle, and Dillon Kennedy and family are now looking for further suggestions of a way forward to bring this worthwhile project to fruition.
A true working class Irish immigrant hero, born here, right on our doorstep.
Dillon Kennedy can be contacted at P.O Box 10097, Whangarei, or telphone (+64) 09 438 5333 or via the contact us page, if you would like to help.
- John Elliot, Ponsonby News
