Peterborough street artist Nathan Murdoch reveals latest mural of city’s first professional bare-knuckle boxer

Street artist Nathan Murdoch has revealed his latest mural of the city’s first professional bare-knuckle boxer in Peterborough’s graffiti tunnel.

Callan Harley, 35, from Paston, became the first person from the city to compete in Bare Knuckle Boxing (BKB) – the only company promoting legal bare-knuckle boxing in the world.

The mural can be found in what Nathan calls “Peterborough’s Graffiti Hall of Fame” in the underpass beneath Fletton Parkway, off Frank Perkins Parkway.

"I wanted to celebrate interesting and influential people from Peterborough,” Nathan said.

"I want to raise the profile of Peterborough and people doing out-of-the-ordinary things in the city.

“Callan’s still making a name for himself but the street art has been really well received.”

The mural replaced Nathan’s previous work of the late Prodigy singer Keith Flint, who passed away in 2019.

Nathan said that “a lot of people were attached” to the mural but he decided to paint over it because in the three years since it was unveiled it had become “unsalvageable” – and has now freed up a new ‘urban canvas’ for his latest project.

"The graffiti tunnel is the only legal place to paint in Peterborough,” he said. “I’ve painted that wall more than anyone else in the city over the last ten years.

“It’s become a tourist attraction and brings people from all over the country.

“I didn’t want it to become a tribute wall – I wanted it to invite people in."

Callan, a father of four, previously boxed on the unlicensed gloved boxing circuit before ditching his gloves after being given an opportunity to box at the O2 Arena in September 2021. His next fight is against Luke Kelly on July 23.

“I’ve been looking for a way to get my name out there before my next fight,” Callan said.

“He’s done a brilliant job and it’s blown up on social media since it appeared. There were thousands of views in the first 24 hours.

"People are taking photographs of it and sharing it on social media. Even if it gets painted over in the next few months, it’s been up there and my children have all seen it.”