"Irish" Pat McMurtry - RIP
Posted: 18 Apr 2011, 06:41
Former heavyweight contender Pat McMurtry died in his home city of Tacoma on Saturday, surroundered by his family. He was 79 and had been battling liver cancer.
The charismatic McMurtry beat men such as Ezzard Charles, Bobo Olson, Charley Norkus and George Chuvalo on the way to a world top 10 ranking in a heavyweight division wide open in the wake of Rocky Marciano's retirement in 1956 but losses to Willie Pastrano and giant Cuban Nino Valdes cost him a shot at Floyd Patterson, and "Irish" Pat was forced to retire in 1959 at the age of 27 after he suffered bleeding on the brain against Eddie Machen.
We never got to see the best of McMurtry, a brilliant jabber with a dangerous shot. He poleaxed Olson with a single left hook and survived an early wobble against a young Chuvalo to outbox and outpoint the rugged Canadian. He easily outboxed a fading Charles on the way to another decision and also outscored the tough Norkus in a battle of former marines. Norkus had no excuses: "He had sting in his punches," said the gracious loser.
Yes, McMurtry's chin let him down against Valdes and the excellent Machen but he was still improving and later graduated to the role of referee, where he handled several world title fights and men of the calibre of Marvin Hagler, Ken Norton, George Foreman and even Chuvalo.
The charismatic McMurtry beat men such as Ezzard Charles, Bobo Olson, Charley Norkus and George Chuvalo on the way to a world top 10 ranking in a heavyweight division wide open in the wake of Rocky Marciano's retirement in 1956 but losses to Willie Pastrano and giant Cuban Nino Valdes cost him a shot at Floyd Patterson, and "Irish" Pat was forced to retire in 1959 at the age of 27 after he suffered bleeding on the brain against Eddie Machen.
We never got to see the best of McMurtry, a brilliant jabber with a dangerous shot. He poleaxed Olson with a single left hook and survived an early wobble against a young Chuvalo to outbox and outpoint the rugged Canadian. He easily outboxed a fading Charles on the way to another decision and also outscored the tough Norkus in a battle of former marines. Norkus had no excuses: "He had sting in his punches," said the gracious loser.
Yes, McMurtry's chin let him down against Valdes and the excellent Machen but he was still improving and later graduated to the role of referee, where he handled several world title fights and men of the calibre of Marvin Hagler, Ken Norton, George Foreman and even Chuvalo.
