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Murray Sutherland: A Tough Former Champion Remembered

MSBy Ian “The Boxing Historian” Murphy

Time to get back to where (boxing) once belonged and take a look at the career of yet another seemingly forgotten 1980s ring warrior, Murray Sutherland. The Scotsman competed at the highest levels in three divisions (LHW, MW, SMW) from 1977 to 1986. He fought a “who’s who” of 1980s champions and top contenders, including Thomas Hearns, Michael Spinks, and Matthew Saad Muhammad. He lost to all of these great men, but showed great competitive spirit in those defeats. He beat most other challenges he faced in his exciting career. Sutherland was also the inaugural IBF Super Middleweight (168lb) Champion, a title he won in 1984.

Murray Sutherland was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1954. He lived most of his life in Canada, and that is the country where he is most associated with. However, Murray paid homage to his Scottish roots by wearing plaid patterned boxing trunks, similar to the great Lightweight Champion, Ken Buchanan. Stylistically, Sutherland solid boxer and a heavy handed banger (his 40 career KOs attest to that!) who always came to fight. In addition to fighting Muhammad, Spinks and Hearns, Murray also went to war with top fighters like James Kinchen, Chong-Pal Park, Bobby Czyz, Robbie Sims, Wilford Scypion, and Tony Mundine.

One of the remarkable things about Sutherland is that he fought in three different weight classes at the highest level. He fought and lost to Thomas Hearns at 160lbs, competed and lost to Spinks and Saad Muhammad (both in LHW title fights) and won his championship at 168lbs. It is most likely that the rangy 6’ tall Sutherland was best suited to the 168lb Super Middleweight Division, but that class only existed in the last two years of his career (1984-1986). While he was the beneficiary of fighting for the inaugural title, he might have had a better career had he been 5-10 years younger and spent it at 168lbs. The fact that Spinks grew into a 200+lb heavyweight and went on to capture the crown against Larry Holmes shows have brave and tough Sutherland (who went by the alias of “David”) was to challenge him not once, but twice.

He has spent most of his life since he retired at age 32 in 1986 in Bay City, Michigan where he more recently owns and runs workout facilities that help others reach their fitness goals. Sutherland retired relatively young and despite a somewhat late start, accomplished much in his ring career. His career record is 48-14 with 40 wins by way of knockout. Quite impressive for a man fighting above his natural weight against some truly stiff competition.

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