Does Lightning Strike Twice?
September 29, 2026
Andrew Murphy (13-0-0) vs. Devonte McDonald (8-6-0): The Washington Rivalry That Refused to Die
Emmerscyn Grigsby - Yakima WA
It all started on a cold, whipping January night at Legends Casino, WA in 2024. The crowd was buzzing, and tension filled the air. The atmosphere was electric. McDonald, of Wenatchee, Washington was about to go against an undefeated 7-0 Murphy, of Yakima, Washington. The blue and white sparks flew as Devonte crossed the point of no return with his team. Then, all eyes turned to Andrew. With Roy Jones Jr. by his side, “White Lightning” walked the same path only a few have gone before him. As they stepped into the ring, you could feel the hunger in the air. You could see the firmness of purpose in both of their eyes. McDonald, with a fragment of any amateur experience, stood across from the decorated and accomplished Andrew Murphy. The bell rang, and the two powerhouses clashed like titans in the ring. This was unexpected to many who had the notion that Murphy, the RJJ knockout savant, should demolish McDonald. However, at the end of the 9 rounds, there was room for interpretation - which is never a good thing in boxing. Little did either of them know that people would still be talking about this fight years later.
Although Murphy walked away with a unanimous decision, one lingering question remained in the minds of the people who watched it: Did Andrew rightfully win? Was Devonte simply the underdog people were rooting for? Should Devonte and Andrew have gotten a draw? … Or did Devonte win? Devonte wanted the rematch, that's for certain. In the years that followed, Devonte and Andrew clashed online. People began calling Murphy a “duck.” At one point, even Roy Jones Jr. had to address a crowd yelling, “We want Devonte!” From Murphy’s side, this was a bridge they had already crossed. There was no need to prove what had already been done. But this fight didn’t disappear. Instead, it created a wave of division in Washington. Half of Washington believes McDonald won and deserves the chance to win officially. The other half wants Andrew to fight him again just to shut him up once-and-for-all. Now they're finally going to get their answer. Devonte comes into the rematch more mature after some toilsome fights against tough competitors, including exchanging blows with one of Murphy’s stablemates, Shady Gilmour. He now enters this fight with 14 total professional fights behind him. Andrew enters with 13 and multiple first-round knockouts.
One could say McDonald has gained more experience going the distance, while Murphy has repeatedly ended fights before those later rounds ever arrived. Does that give McDonald an advantage in a long, grueling fight? Or is Murphy just that good? Is the undefeated record exactly what it appears to be, or has it not been tested enough? Those are questions that can only be answered when they meet again. And that brings us to perhaps the biggest question of all: Who is in the more dangerous position? The boxer who says, I know I won, and I will do anything to prove it, or the boxer who says, Proving it will be the last thing you do? Those are questions October 3rd will answer once and for all. The rivalry has now reached beyond Washington. What began as an intrastate battle has reached boxing fans from the Pacific Northwest all the way to Pensacola and the South. Since this rivalry has reached a national level, the Roy Jones Jr team wants it accessible to all, which is why it will be shown on TikTok live. Renowned boxing commentator Christian Schmidt says “This will be the most watched boxing fight on the planet.” This coming Saturday, October 3rd. Devonte gets another chance to prove what he has believed since that icy January night. Andrew gets a chance to prove there was never anything left to question in the first place. If you want a preview of the kind of fight this rivalry has the potential to produce, do me a favor and watch the 15th round of Larry Holmes vs. Ken Norton. Then, imagine watching it live at Legends Casino on October 3rd.