Henry Wharton v Martin Murray

[Taansend]

This is a poll with a difference.

Two tough fighters, neither one with a huge punch.

When does it end? Doesn't matter who you think wins (although feel free to add that) but in a 25 round fight when does it end

[mickey1975]

This is a poll with a difference.

Two tough fighters, neither one with a huge punch.

When does it end? Doesn't matter who you think wins (although feel free to add that) but in a 25 round fight when does it end

Henry's punch was perhaps his strongest point, if not his chin.

[Stuarty]

Wharton would've had too much for Murray. Not sure when it ends but a Wharton win whenever...

[forcefraser]

Wharton would end it with a left to the body

[Bodyshot3]

I seem to recall Henry hitting some blokes pretty bloody hard and them not liking it one little bit...although granted, it is now a while back.
He was just a wee bit slow and predicatable for Benn and Eubank; both of whom opted to mainly box rather than have a tear-up with him.

Maybe if Murray boxed and moved he'd turn the trick over 12 rounds but I suspect that Wharton might get to him and if it turned into a fire-fight then Wharton would win that tussle.

[tobyh5]

Wharton was a career supermiddle while Murray is a career middle who tasted SM, did not like it and dropped back down. Throw that on top of the equation and I think you have to lean Wharton

[Boxerbeetle]

25 round fights should be the norm

[Oiky]

Wharton

[Deserter]

This is a poll with a difference.

Two tough fighters, neither one with a huge punch.

When does it end? Doesn't matter who you think wins (although feel free to add that) but in a 25 round fight when does it end

Henry's punch was perhaps his strongest point, if not his chin.

Exactly. Great punch and chin. He'd walk Murray down and stop him IMO.

[chinarich]

I've gone for the 11-15 option and can't see past a Wharton stoppage, I think he has too much for Murray.

Incidentally, what do people think Wharton would have achieved were he in his prime around now? I can see him picking up a belt given the more fractured nature of things and I reckon a fight between him and Froch would've been fun...

[Counter-puncher]

Wharton by pasting. Wombling round the ring with a high guard wouldn't serve Murray well

[Oiky]

Wharton by pasting. Wombling round the ring with a high guard wouldn't serve Murray well

This

[dalcumly]

I'm biased because I became friends with Henry when I wrote his biography. But I had to do a lot of research including reviewing every fight I could get my hands on via DVD.
He would have demolished Murray around the fifth or sixth.
In Henrys fight with Benn he gave away the first 4 rounds because he was too cautious. If the fight had begun in the Fifth Henry would have edged it on the scorecards. Eubank simply beat him , no excuses. Henry was very distracted going into the Reid fight, otherwise he'd probably have taken it.

[tijuana1]

Henry had a massive punch one of the best left hooks in the business when he was around. Henry wins stoppage

[orbtastic]

Yeah, he did have a great left hook.

No disrespect to Murray but I think Wharton is too big and too good for him.

Would Wharton be a title holder now? Very probably, he only got 3 shots and had the misfortune to come up against a cautious, boxing Benn in a close fight and a fired-up, motivated Eubank who loved sitting back and counterpunching i.e. not forcing the fight. One of Eubank's better performances. The Reid fight was close, again and one of those tough nights for both guys. Reid was on-form and motivated.

[Bodyshot3]

Yeah, he did have a great left hook.

No disrespect to Murray but I think Wharton is too big and too good for him.

Would Wharton be a title holder now? Very probably, he only got 3 shots and had the misfortune to come up against a cautious, boxing Benn in a close fight and a fired-up, motivated Eubank who loved sitting back and counterpunching i.e. not forcing the fight. One of Eubank's better performances. The Reid fight was close, again and one of those tough nights for both guys. Reid was on-form and motivated.

Agreed and my thinking as well

Benn and Eubank both paid Henry a bit of a compliment by not trying to mix it with him or coming in with anything less than their 'A' games.

Anyone wanting to go right at it with Henry at that particular juncture would have probably deeply regretted it; but he was vulnerable to a top class, hard fighter who had the abiity to change things about and box, move and still hit plenty hard enough when countering.

Eubank stank in so many title defences but I thought he got his fight with Henry just right and that's because he'd spotted the danger.

[Matt W]

Absolutely agree that Henry wins this all day long. As for the poster that said he didn't punch hard - he was a huge puncher and the way both Benn and Eubank fought him attest to that. Murray is a very good fighter but I just feel that Henry would have too much for him, too big, too strong.

Have to say too that I'm fortunate to know Henry and he is one of the nicest guys you could ever wish to meet and it's great to hear him talking about boxing, he's very passionate about the sport still and is always hungry to learn more about it. Top bloke!!

[Coco]

Wharton was a banger, landing them at top level was his problem, Benn didn't mix it with him, he boxed clever

[tijuana1]

I wish Henry could of boxed Stev Little or Nunn the night he boxed Benn or Eubanks can't remember now. Both Little and Nunn was shocking that night and Wharton could of bee world champ if he boxed either.

[Jackson328]

Wharton was a career supermiddle while Murray is a career middle who tasted SM, did not like it and dropped back down.

This is why its not really a very good debate! They had a few world title shots between them but both came up short ultimately, bit unfair on Murray to compare them because as tobyh5 says, they were different weights. If Wharton can boil down to 160 I favour Murray but at 168 its Henry all the way. Pointless debate to me.

No disrespect to the OP as he's a good poster btw but obviously bored when he put this one up