It’s Valentine’s Day and things are getting hot and sweaty at the Team Ryano Kilkenny facility on the outskirts of the city.
The Carlow Kid, Andy Murphy, has just finished a pads session with fellow professional fighter Myles Price and while the hard work continues in his preparation for BAMMA 28, he’s all smiles and in good spirits when we sit down to talk about his upcoming bout in Belfast.
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For Murphy, this will be his second professional fight and second fight on the BAMMA card, having turned pro last September. His debut in the 3 Arena at BAMMA 26 was cut short, a heel hook from Richie Smullen early in the first round curtailing his talents, but with adjustments in training and preparation, Murphy is raring to go on February 24 in Belfast.
“The [preparations] have been fantastic, to be honest”, says Murphy.
“It’s gone great. I feel the best I’ve ever felt. I could probably make bantamweight the way I’m moving around at the minute. I could jump in the sauna now, make weight, and I’ve got ten days to go – I’m good, I’m really, really good.”
For his debut against Smullen, Murphy was walking around at 78kg, having been offered a fight at 66kg on four weeks notice. He took it, hit his target of a 12kg drop to make fight weight, but this time things are that bit easier, leaner.
“Four weeks out from that fight, camp was intense, and you’re focusing a lot on making weight – which I did by the way, with a wife, a kid, a full time job, I made 65.9kg against a professional fighter that day. The actual fight itself, there’s no grudges, the better man won on the night. But that’s the big difference going into this fight. I’ve known for a while I’m fighting this fight so I’ve been walking around a lot healthier, all the time. ”
“This camp has just gone really smooth. You might as well say now, you can wrap me in cotton wool – I’m ready to go.”
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When it comes to the regiment of training, Murphy’s got his schedule down tight.
“I’m normally up about 6.50am, get Nathan [his son] up, me and Marina have breakfast together, and then from 9am I drop him to creche and then I’m training. I’m in WIT Arena tonight (Valentine’s night) until 10.30pm, I teach a boxercise class, I teach spinning at 7 so I’m getting a sweat up again for 45 minutes. I’m practically training 2-3 times a day”.
That training continues six days a week as well with Murphy dividing his time between WIT Arena, Team Ryano Kilkenny with Myles Price and Mick Brennan, Carlow’s 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu with Rory McCann, before squeezing in sessions at Team Ryano HQ in Dublin on Saturdays.
But does it take its toll?
“Not really”, according to Murphy. “You know yourself, we all have good days, we all have bad days. Overall, it’s fantastic, I would not chance anything. It helps when you’ve got the support – Marina’s the best woman in the world for me. There’s no way with a lot of other people they would allow their husband off galavanting the way I am. She knows I’m putting the grind in here, I’m going working, I’ve a family to support. It’s all good.”
When talk turns back to the fight card in Belfast on the 24th, there’s no looking past Stephen Kilifin for Murphy.
“I’m just switched on to this opponent. I don’t know much about Stevie, I really just focused on my skill set. In terms of the fight, I’m not looking past any fight here. My ultimate goal is to be a legitimate pro, to be that guy people say ‘I’m looking forward to seeing Andy Murphy fight, he’s entertaining’.”
“In some ways, I wish I was doing this a few years back. I’ve gone from being one of the top dogs in the gym to literally going right back down to the bottom of the food chain and working my way back up – but trust me, I’m getting up there.”
With confidence in his preparation, does he have any words for The Fury Killer?
“Let’s go, let’s get into the middle of the cage, let’s just have a fight like. Let’s give the fans what they want to see – let’s not be cuddling and that. Let’s go in, have a good scrap and we’ll go and enjoy the Titanic experience if you want, like. But, it’s business. I’m sure it’s the same for him – there’s no disrepect here. I’m going in with targets and I’m going to hit those fucking targets.”
Listen to the full interview below.
BAMMA 28 takes place at the SSE Arena in Belfast on Friday 24 February as a co-event with Bellator 173 on the same night. For full fight card details, check BAMMA.com.
