Paddy Murphy [10-0-2]

After being out of action for 2014 up until this point due to injury, Paddy "Irish" Murphy is eager to get going again and will be fighting on September 3rd on the "Face Your Fears" card in Eatons Hill, Queensland, Australia. Paddy took the time to talk to BoxingQnA in order to give an update on where he is currently, where he is going and what to expect in the near future.

For those who are not yet aware of your amateur background, what was your record like and what accolades did you achieve? As an amateur I had about 120 fights with 95 wins. My main accolades were an Irish Juvenile title, an Ulster senior title and a Silver at the 2006 Commonwealth Youth games, where I lost to Bradley Saunders. You ended up taking a couple of years away from the sport, relocated to Australia and eventually turned pro after all. Again, for those who do not already know, what's the story there? I had a few years away from the sport when I was about 18 or 19. I had trained from a young age and simply wanted a break. I moved to Brisbane for work, met Gareth Williams through another Irish fella, PJ Freehill, and started training. I had a few amateur fights and decided to give the pro game a try.

You have been sidelined for most of this year due to injury. What was the injury, how was it sustained and how does it feel to finally be able to fight in 2014? I've been sidelined since December with a wrist injury. It's a recurrence of a fracture that I had back in 2010. I was scheduled to fight Jason Kanofski in May but had to withdraw because of the injury. It was initially thought that surgery was the only option but after a second opinion I decided to try a cortisone injection and it seems to have done the trick. I've been back in training for two months now and everything seems fine. It's frustrating to have missed so much of the year but I'm keen to make up for lost time. You were unfortunate not to get the nod in your Northern Ireland homecoming, but aside from that, how would you sum up and assess 2013? To be honest, I didn't really dispute the draw in Ireland last year. I didn't fight anywhere near my potential and got embroiled in a war with Peter McDonagh. I took too many shots for my liking but I learned a lot and I would love a rematch as I'd definitely fight a lot smarter. I got a lot of rounds under my belt in 2013 against rugged fighters, so in terms of progression, I feel that I improved quite a bit. I'm definitely more patient than I was two years back. Are you eager to pursue another homecoming fight whenever the opportunity presents itself again? I'd love to fight at home again and I'd jump at the chance, although there's nothing in the pipeline yet. I need a few fights to see out the year and hopefully an opportunity comes up next year. In your last fight you had a rematch with Alex Ah Tong. Why the recycled opponent? Was it a case of knowing exactly what were you going to get based on the first fight? A tough guy who could give you rounds? There was actually no reasoning behind a second fight with Alex. Promoters in Melbourne needed a few bouts on the undercard of Sam Soliman and Les Sherrington, so they offered us the fight. I was happy to accept as it meant having a fourth fight in 2013. I wasn't overly happy with my performance in the rematch. I wasn't feeling great on the night due mainly to a broken nose suffered at the hands of Sam Soliman 10 days before the fight. I felt flat but still did more than enough to take a points victory.

Any specific plan in place for the remainder of the year, or is it all about shaking off the ring rust and getting yourself ready for 2015? I was due to fight Charlie King but he had to pull out after he suffered a broken jaw in training. I'm now fighting Mark Ramirez. I'm hoping to come through this fight unscathed and am aiming to follow it up with a big fight in November on a Rightcross Promotions card.

You've got plenty of rounds under your belt, have won two titles so far on your way up and you're still undefeated. So aside from the time out due to injury, are you content with your overall career progress as a pro so far? I've had a stop-start career thus far due to injuries but I'm quietly happy with how I've progressed. I've worked on a lot of aspects of my game and hope to make a big impact in 2015. Are there any fighters from past or present that you look up to or admire? I was always a big fan of Joe Calzaghe. His work rate was phenomenal despite having bad hands like myself. I train alongside Damien Hooper at The Boxing Shop and can't help but admire his skills. I see big things coming from him! What's one of the best pieces of boxing-related advice that you have ever been given by those around you? A quote on the wall of my amateur gym in Ireland: "Train hard to be a fighter, train harder to be a winner." Boxing is a tough sport. You must be willing to go that extra mile to stand out above the rest. An entertaining moment from the gym off the top of your head? It was a while ago but one that stands out is seeing one of our amateurs, Mitchell Coomer, fall head over heels on the treadmill. Who is Paddy Murphy outside of boxing? Outside of boxing I work full time as a carpenter, so I juggle training with work which keeps me busy. I also play Gaelic football with Shamrocks GFC in Brisbane. A message to your supporters? I'd just like to thank everyone for their continued support. From my family in Ireland to my friends and family in Australia. It's great to know that people want to see me succeed. I hope to repay the faith with a few big wins in the near future. Any final words or shout-outs? A shout-out to my team who make life easy for me. To Gareth Williams and everyone at The Boxing Shop in Brisbane for making me work hard and hone my boxing skills. To Guru Sports for getting me in shape and to Ace Sports Performance for the great physio work and treating my injuries. My employers Kenny Constructions and my management team, Xcite Fight Promotions. This supportive team will help me reach my goals.