TOPPENISH -- Andrew Murphy's first fight since shoulder surgery didn't exactly start the way he'd hoped Thursday night at Legends Casino and Hotel in Toppenish.
The 24-year-old East Valley graduate who grew up in Selah acknowledged it took some time to shake off the rust against an energetic opponent, 26-year-old Andres Martinez. But Murphy eventually delivered the ending both he and the crowd wanted in the fifth of six scheduled rounds with a right cross that knocked Martinez to the canvas, the first time he's suffered a knockout in eight professional fights.
"I saw where his head was going, I lined him up," Murphy said. "When I threw the right hand, I knew my shoulder was healed up, I was ready to rock and it was like a hot knife through butter."
The referee told a judge even though Martinez "got up at 9.5" of the 10-second count he was in no condition to continue the fight. That gave Murphy his sixth knockout in nine fights, keeping him unbeaten for his young career.
Murphy said early on he could tell he wasn't in his best form, so he turned to coach Roy Jones Jr. for advice. Martinez consistently threw big punches, landing some in the first and third rounds while Murphy delivered some strong jabs and tried to look for openings.
At one point Martinez appeared to try to imitate Murphy's unique stance, putting his arms down while dancing just out of reach. Murphy responded in kind, drawing cheers from the crowd.
"He wanted to act back and forth," Murphy said. "But who gets the last laugh now?"
Physical therapy for his right shoulder kept Murphy from training until October, when he could finally start running to work his way back into shape. He couldn't fully throw punches until about a week before Thanksgiving, but Murphy said everything felt good Thursday night.
Along with those physical struggles, Murphy's dealt with a diagnosis of breast cancer for his mother, Nicole Martin, who lives in Pensacola, Fla., where Murphy trains. Afterward he told the crowd she went through a round of chemotherapy earlier in the day, and he came out before the fight wearing a black shirt with pink ribbons to honor Martin's ongoing battle.
Murphy's last four wins came at Legends Casino, including two in 2022 and a unanimous decision over Devontae McDonald last January. He said all the support from the Yakima Valley motivated him to work hard through the most painful parts of his training on the other side of the country, and he's determined to come back even strong the next time.
"Fighting at home, it turns me up and it gives me so much more motivation," Murphy said. "It really puts the chip on my shoulder to go after it. Some would say it's pressure, but I just think it's a blessing from God."