Torpedo Billy Murphy vs. Young Griffo (2nd meeting)
Torpedo Billy Murphy 116 lbs lost to Young Griffo 121 lbs by RTD in round 15
- Date: 1890-09-02
- Location: Sydney Amateur Gymnastic Club, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Referee: Sid Bloomfield
Associated Press, September 28, 1890:
“San Francisco, Sept. 27.—Advices from Sydney by the steamship Mariposa, which arrived today, give an account of the fight between Billy Murphy, the feather-weight champion, and young Griffo, which took place before the Sydney Amateur Gymnastic Club for a purse of 200 sovereigns.
“Murphy opened the fight with a rush, but Griffo dazed him in the second round, during some hot in-fighting in which he seemed to excel. Griffo was twice knocked down in the first three rounds by Murphy’s fierce swinging blows, but whenever they came to close quarters Griffo administered severe punishment, and at the end of the eighth round both men were decidedly weak and Murphy was looking anxious.
“In the eleventh round Griffo went in apparently to finish Murphy and used his right and left with such effect that he dazed the champion, but tired himself out before accomplishing his object. The twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth rounds were marked by wild rushes on the part of Murphy and clever dodging and jabbing on the part of Griffo.
“In the fifteenth round both started to spar cautiously. Murphy succeeded in swinging his right on to Griffo’s jaw, but was either too far around or the blows lacked power. Griffo assumed the aggressive and by a well-directed blow on the jaw rendered Murphy groggy. Murphy for the second time tried a pivotal blow, but without effect, and at the end of the round retired to his chair in a limp condition.
“Before another round was called Murphy threw off his gloves, and, walking to the center of the stage, said he gave the fight to Griffo. When asked his reason he asserted that the gloves had been fixed. An examination, however, showed that the gloves were new and had not been tampered with.
“Murphy afterward challenged Griffo to fight with bare knuckles for £100.”