Abstract Becomes Reality: Leroy Murphy vs. Chisanda Muti (1985)

Let's face it, in many ways the fight scenes in the Rocky series were corny beyond belief. Much of real boxing revolves around figuring out how to land the cleanest blows possible - reflexes, timing, strategy, footwork, head movement, feints, angles, subtle adjustments, ect. are required to set the stage for the perfect punch. This was all completely ignored in the Rocky movies because every punch was the perfect punch and anything that even threatened to resemble defense was etched out the script. No need to show glimpses of the actual science behind the sport, as they'd only get in the way of the blood, guts, and Addrriiaaaaan plot points we were battery-rammed with.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy the original movie; it was great for what it was. I always did believe that the shark was jumped at the end of Rocky II though. The ring action went from corny to cartooney with that ridiculous double-knockdown sequence.

At least that's what I figured until I saw Leroy Murphy vs. Chisanda Muti.

The beauty of the innanets summed up in one fight. If it wasn't for a gracious soul uploading this gem - someone who apparently got a hold of the tape from a promoter - I would have more than likely lived the rest of my life as a boxing fan without knowledge of the events that took place on October 19th, 1985. And that's unacceptable. Had this aired on network television, it would be widely known as one of the most bizarre finishes in American sports history.

The fight, scheduled for 15 rounds, began normal enough; one man - Chisanda Muti - used his height and reach to control his opponent - Leroy Murphy - with jabs and long right hands. Leroy proved himself to be game and tough, but as the rounds went by, Muti found it increasingly easy to penetrate his leaky defense. Leroy started taking a bad beating that was only getting progressively worse.

The beatdown reached a brutal apex in the 9th, when Leroy finally went down to his hands and knees after getting battered on the ropes. A weary Muti was seen in the neutral corner stretching his back as the ref began his count on Murphy. The intense effort to finish his wounded prey had clearly taken something out of him. Yet when Leroy bravely beat the count, Muti continued the ruthless onslaught, because surely the ref was close to stopping the fight. Instead, the referee watched idly as Leroy took blow after head-snapping blow, and Murphy somehow managed to survive the round.

Muti came out in the 10th as if he was trudging through mud. He was exhausted; he had punched himself out trying to end the fight in the previous round and now fatigue had an uncompromising grip on him. Leroy used the first half of the round to get his wits back under him. When he finally opened up, he found he was able to hit Muti almost at will. The tables had turned - Chisanda Muti was in dire straits. When the 11th stanza began, Muti's demeanor was was zombie-esque and Leroy didn't hesitate to take advantage. He pummeled Chisanda with crushing blows.

Muti gathered the heart and strength for a second wind and returned fire. The two traded until Leroy landed a searing left hook that dropped Muti hard on his pants. Muti climbed off the canvas and Leroy jumped back on him, raining down a firestorm of punches that, once again, would have prompted most refs to stop the fight. Muti withstood the punishment to see the end of the round and slowly walked back to his corner.

Vultures surely circled the small venue as both combatants walked out on dead legs to begin the 12th. Muti was now getting wobbled by jabs while Leroy seemed to no longer have the capacity block any incoming punches. It was clear that this would be the final round.

Words alone don't suffice to explain what happened after they found themselves entrenched in the corner.



They land hard right hands simultaneously. Muti stumbles back and the only thing that holds Leroy up is the corner post. Both men are badly hurt.



Muti staggers forward and falls on top of a dazed Leroy.



They collapse on the canvas.



The referee does one count for both fighters. Chisanda never sees that Leroy is still on the canvas being counted out as well.



Leroy struggles back to his feet at the count of 8 while Muti remains on the floor. Leroy Murphy is declared the winner by knockout.

To put this into prospective, in all my years of watching boxing, I've only seen one other double knockdown - between Sechew Powell and Cornelius Bundrage in 2005 - and both men immediately jumped back to their feet. The end of this classic 80's slugfest is probably the closest we will ever see to a double knockout.

In his following fight, Chisanda Muti got knocked out in three rounds by an 8-0 prospect named Evander Holyfield. He lost half of his next six fights and retired in 1989. Leroy Murphy saved himself a beating from Evander by losing his IBF Cruiserweight title to Ricky Parkey (who also got KO'd in 3 by Holyfield). He went on to fight until 1991, took seven years off, and finally retired in '98 after two comeback bouts.

Neither man turned out to be a great fighter, but their role in producing a fight that makes boxing fantasy a little more believable will never again be forgotten.