Andrew Murray (born 10 September 1982) is an Irish

professional boxer Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional fights are supervised by a regulatory auth ...

who held the Irish

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title, having previously held the Irish

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title also.. Retrieved 24 May 2016. He is also a former

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lightweight champion, and has challenged once for the

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lightweight title.

Amateur career

At the age of ten, Murray began boxing as an amateur at the Cavan ABC. Over the next twelve years he won three

All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) is a term used to describe organisations and events whose interests extend over the entire island of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Irelan ...

Senior titles and two

Ulster Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...

Senior titles. Murray also represented in

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

at national level winning a 4 Nations title and three Gold medals for Ireland at the Multi-Nations tournaments. He also won the accolade of "Young Boxer of the Year" in 2003.

Professional career

Murray became frustrated after failing to qualify for the Athens Olympics in 2004 and so decided to switch to the pro ranks and relocate to London under manager Michael Helliet. Murray turned professional in March 2005, winning his first fight at the King's Hall,

Belfast Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...

County Antrim County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, County Antrim, Antrim, ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, located within the historic Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the c ...

, Northern Ireland, in which he beat Welshman Jonathan Jones in a fourth-round knockout on a card that included

Jim Rock Jim Rock (born 12 March 1972) is an Irish former professional boxer who competed from 1995 to 2009. He is the only boxer to have held the Boxing Union of Ireland, Irish title at four different weights divisions: light-middleweight, middleweight, ...

Neil Sinclair Neil Sinclair (born 23 February 1974), is a Northern Irish former professional boxer who competed from 1995 to 2010. He challenged once for the WBO welterweight title in 2010. At regional level, he held the British welterweight title from 2001 ...

and

Eamonn Magee Eamonn Magee (born 13 July 1971 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a retired WBU World Welterweight Boxing Champion who competed from 1995 to 2007 in the professional arena. He fought for and won the WBU World title in December 2003. He also hel ...

. Murray, who fought out of

St. Albans St Albans () is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, north-west of London, south-west of Welwyn Garden City and south-east of Luton. St Albans was the first major town on the old Roman r ...

near

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, England, won his first nine pro fights and three by knockout. Having returned to his native Country and County to box, Murray signed a promotional deal with Brian Peters Promotions and moved to John Breen's gym in Belfast. Murray was nominated in the 'Prospect of the Year' category for the 2008 irish-boxing.com National Boxing Awards Unfortunately, on 5 June 2011 he fought Gavin Rees of Wales and lost by Unanimous Decision. The Irish man fought well for the 12 rounds despite powerful punches coming from Rees throughout the fight.

Irish light welterweight title

Murray won the vacant Irish light welterweight title on 8 December 2007. This win came with a controversial stoppage in round 4, Murray's opponent, James Gorman cut Murrays eyebrow area with what appeared to be head clashes. Gormans head made contact with Murrays face a number of times during the fight and the fight was stopped by referee David Irving in round 4. A rematch took place on 22 March 2008, in the National Stadium, Dublin, Ireland. Murray successfully defended his title on the night.

Boxing titles

IBA Irish Light Welterweight Title - 8 December 2007 IBA Irish Lightweight Title - 12 July 2008 EBU-EU Lightweight Title - 21 March 2009

References

External links

*
Andrew Murray's Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murray, Andy 1982 births Boxers from County Cavan Living people Irish male boxers Lightweight boxers 21st-century Irish sportsmen