Carroll vs Murphy Predictions: Well-travelled Jono makes rare home stop

Jono Carroll meets ‘Posh Boy’ Colm Murphy this Saturday, March 14 (DAZN) on the undercard of James ‘Jazza’ Dickens vs Anthony Cacace. The card takes place at the 3Arena in Dublin, hometown of Carroll. Murphy hails from Belfast, making for an intense cross-Ireland clash.

Read on for my Carroll vs Murphy predictions ahead of this super featherweight showdown.

Carroll vs Murphy Odds

Carroll is the more experienced fighter but he is the underdog coming in, priced at 5/4. Murphy is favoured at 8/11 while the draw is marketed at 16/1.

Carroll vs Murphy Fight Preview

Carroll is your classic road warrior. His last fight in his home city of Dublin was in 2014. Since then, Jono has taken his gloves to England, Dubai, Russia, Uzbekistan, Spain, Mexico, the USA and Germany. Oh, and his first two fights were in Australia. Jono Carroll collects passport stamps like they’re Pokemon cards.

So what awaits Carroll on his first working visit to the British Isles in over five years? ‘Posh Boy’ Colm Murphy has the unblemished, youthful features to match his name. But this 26-year-old is making a name for himself. 

Murphy scooped the Commonwealth featherweight crown in his last outing, dominating Saleh Kassim for six rounds before the Tanzanian boxer retired with a hand injury. Before that came the EBU Silver belt, gaining a foothold with the continental ranking body by out-scoring undefeated Luke Pearson.

In stark contrast to Carroll’s status as boxing’s Michael Palin, Murphy is boxing outside of Belfast for just the second time in his career. Some would argue the university-educated boxer has led a sheltered existence. But this boy is for real. He’s got the medals to prove it, having been a successful youth amateur before turning over in 2021.

Murphy has medals and belts. He has 16 fights of experience and hundreds more rounds spent in the gym, toughening up and learning his craft. What Murphy does not have is a fighter like Jono Carroll on his record.

‘King Kong’ Carroll has spent time at world level. Nobody who has seen his 2019 war with then-IBF super featherweight champion Tevin Farmer will ever forget it. The Dubliner gave the American a torrid time, deserving far more than the wide scorecards gave him. Farmer was a worthy winner but Carroll firmly put his stamp on the champion in a bloody and vicious fight. 

There are further highlights for Carroll, who retired former WBA bantamweight champion Scott Quigg, stopping him in 11 rounds back in 2020. Carroll also holds a win over three-time world title challenger Miguel Marriaga. 

These exertions earned him a WBA interim title crack in 2024, where Jono was stopped in nine by Albert Batyrgaziev. The Tajikistani boxer would lose that belt to Jazza Dickens who now defends the upgraded WBA super featherweight crown against Anthony Cacace in the main event. Fine margins in this game.

But Carroll won’t cry over what could have been. Stood in front of him is a well-regarded rising star, but one of whom there are questions over his toughness. The unconscious bias of a self-confessed ‘Posh Boy’ trying to fit in with the grizzled game of gloves? Or is Murphy about to mount the first truly significant scalp on his wall? That’s why we have the fights, folks.

Carroll vs Murphy Full Card

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Barry McReynolds vs Jonatas Rodrigo Gomes de Oliveira

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Carroll vs Murphy Prediction

Murphy is rangy and athletic and you would expect him to use those physical gifts more prominently than he does. Despite wielding a below-average knockout percentage of 37.5, Murphy often pursues his opponents with the intent of a big puncher.

That works when you’re overwhelming quarry like fellow ingénue Jack Turner, 6-1 at the time Murphy stopped him on cuts in 10 rounds. But against a warrior as eager for a tear-up as Carroll, it is a less advisable strategy.

Carroll is no puncher either, with just seven of his 25 wins ending early. But ‘King Kong’ knows how to budget for a war. The stamina, grit and venom it takes to thrive when the other man’s gloves are malevolently manipulating your equilibrium.

This one has come a tad soon for Murphy in my view. I like Carroll to get the victory at 5/4. It might be his last Dublin fight for a while, though. I’ve heard Timbuktu has a bustling boxing scene…

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