If you are searching for the stereotypical boxer, then Colm Murphy may not quite fit the bill at first glance.
A past pupil of Methodist College – regarded as a hotbed for rugby rather than boxing – Murphy later attained a degree in quantity surveying but it was the sweet science which had the greater allure.
The ‘Posh Boy’ ring moniker is a nod to his upbringing in south Belfast’s leafy suburbs rather than some of the city’s concrete jungles, but there is much more than meets the eye.
From his early teenage days of walking through the doors of St Agnes ABC and then St George’s, Murphy has encountered many doubters, but his belief never waned.
As an amateur, Murphy won bronze at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games and then went on to collect an Irish U22 title before opting to punch for pay and has racked up 16 straight wins as a pro with a host of titles collected along the way including the Commonwealth featherweight strap when stopping Saleh Kassim in January.
The 26-year-old plans to silence some more of his detractors when taking on Jono Carroll for the vacant IBO super-featherweight title on the James ‘Jazza’ Dickens v Anthony Cacace world title undercard in Dublin.
“It shows how hard I’ve had to work,” Murphy told BBC Sport NI.
“There aren’t many from my background who follow this path and to be honest, it’s meant I’ve hard to work a lot harder as I don’t come from a boxing background where the sport is ingrained from a young age. I’ve been beaten up in the gyms when I was growing up, but I never gave up and kept coming back.
“All of that helps me against a more experienced fighter, as it brings out the best of me because I have evolved as a person.
“People are doubting me for this fight, but it spurs me on because I want to prove to people I belong at this level.”