Looking light on his feet and burst with energy, ‘The Carlow Kid’ Andy Murphy has picked up his first professional win with a late stoppage of Stephen Kilifin in Belfast this evening.
With Team Ryano’s Keith ‘The Butcher’ McCabe starting the night with a heel hook victory over Glenn Irvine (0:39 in round 1), Murphy made it two-for-two for Team Ryano in the preliminary bouts shortly before 6pm, with TRK’s Myles Price and Mick Brennan in his corner. Price has originally been scheduled to appear on the card against Rhys McKee for the Lonsdale Lightweight Championship.
Pressing forward in the early exchanges and mixing up his combos well, Murphy took the game to ‘The Fury Killer’ with striking very much on his mind. However, Kilifin showed no fear in walking down The Carlow Kid as he seeked to land his strong left hook, succeeding midway through the first round to floor Murphy and begin to take the game to the ground.
It didn’t go to plan, and Kilifin’s patience may have contributed to his downfall with Murphy buzzing with energy and retaliating to open a cut over ‘The Fury Killer’s right eye.
With ten seconds on the clock, Murphy dropped Kilifin against the cage, finishing with a flurry of punches before the referee waved it off at 4:58 in round one.
A stunning victory for a local fighter very much on the rise.
Before the fight, Murphy had set he “wanted to get in there, have a scrap, give the fans what they want” and given the intensity of their bout, you won’t find any fans complaining.
Whether or not they go to check out the Titanic Experience afterwards is another thing.
The win moves Murphy’s professional record to 1-1 and opens the door to more potential encounters with the BAMMA promotion.
Murphy spoke to Severe MMA following the fight.
