Individual Details
Thomas William (Billy) MURPHY
(26 Mar 1862 - 26 Jul 1939)
Billy was a superb boxer. Known as 'Torpedo Billy', he is the only New Zealand-born boxer to have held a professional world title. He left school at the age of 12 to become apprenticed to a tailor but his real passion was boxing. Two of Billy's brothers, Jimmy and Daniel, were also fine boxers. Billy began to box professionally in 1881 and six years later moved to Sydney where he continued his boxing career. In 1889 he moved to San Francisco.
According to the Auckland Irish Society website, www.aucklandirish.co.nz, "Billy Murphy was offered a bout with Ike Weir of Belfast for the featherweight championship of the world. Weir outclassed Murphy in the early rounds of the contest, which took place at San Francisco on 13 January 1890. However, in the 13th round the New Zealander connected with a hard right that staggered Weir and quickly followed up his advantage, putting Weir on the mat five times. The Irishman was still groggy when he came out for the 14th round; Murphy knocked him out with a hard right to the jaw. This victory earned Murphy $2,250 and the Richard K. Fox belt, a handsome, diamond-studded trophy".
While it is believed by some that the belt was sold a number of years later when Billy found himself short of money, family lore has it that it ended up "in someone's attic".
The Auckland Irish Society also tells us that Billy was "a small, wiry man whose fighting weight was around eight stone four pounds" and that he was "exceptionally fast and a devastating puncher for his size".
Billy returned to live in New Zealand shortly after winning the title and was thereby deemed to have forfeited his title by the Americans. Australia and New Zealand, however, continued to recognise the title, which he lost to Albert Griffiths in Sydney in September 1890.
Billy subsequently returned to the United States where he continued boxing with varying degrees of success. It is thought that he may have married in the States around 1899 but the marriage did not last. He went back to New Zealand in 1904, continuing his career in the ring until 1907. After his retirement from boxing, Billy ran a tailoring and dry-cleaning shop with his brothers in Auckland.
According to the Auckland Irish Society website, www.aucklandirish.co.nz, "Billy Murphy was offered a bout with Ike Weir of Belfast for the featherweight championship of the world. Weir outclassed Murphy in the early rounds of the contest, which took place at San Francisco on 13 January 1890. However, in the 13th round the New Zealander connected with a hard right that staggered Weir and quickly followed up his advantage, putting Weir on the mat five times. The Irishman was still groggy when he came out for the 14th round; Murphy knocked him out with a hard right to the jaw. This victory earned Murphy $2,250 and the Richard K. Fox belt, a handsome, diamond-studded trophy".
While it is believed by some that the belt was sold a number of years later when Billy found himself short of money, family lore has it that it ended up "in someone's attic".
The Auckland Irish Society also tells us that Billy was "a small, wiry man whose fighting weight was around eight stone four pounds" and that he was "exceptionally fast and a devastating puncher for his size".
Billy returned to live in New Zealand shortly after winning the title and was thereby deemed to have forfeited his title by the Americans. Australia and New Zealand, however, continued to recognise the title, which he lost to Albert Griffiths in Sydney in September 1890.
Billy subsequently returned to the United States where he continued boxing with varying degrees of success. It is thought that he may have married in the States around 1899 but the marriage did not last. He went back to New Zealand in 1904, continuing his career in the ring until 1907. After his retirement from boxing, Billy ran a tailoring and dry-cleaning shop with his brothers in Auckland.
Events
| Birth | 26 Mar 1862 | James Street, Arch Hill, Auckland | |||
| Death | 26 Jul 1939 | Auckland, New Zealand | |||
| Burial | Waikaraka Cemetery, Auckland |
Families
| Father | James MURPHY (1826 - 1911) |
| Mother | Johanna CRONIN (1842 - 1931) |
| Sibling | Ann (Annie) Maria MURPHY (1860 - 1934) |
| Sibling | John Joseph MURPHY (1864 - ) |
| Sibling | Sarah Bridget MURPHY (1866 - 1914) |
| Sibling | James (Jimmy) Hugh MURPHY (1871 - 1897) |
| Sibling | Daniel Timothy (Tim) MURPHY (1873 - 1946) |
| Sibling | Ada MURPHY (1875 - 1957) |
| Sibling | Francis Joseph MURPHY (1879 - 1881) |
| Sibling | Elizabeth Helena (Lena, Ena) MURPHY (1880 - 1964) |
| Sibling | George Bernard (Bert) MURPHY (1883 - 1963) |