Also known as Bruiser Muir, Bully Boy Muir, Iron Duke Muir
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In a world of giants and monsters Ian Muir was an under-rated star of wrestling who deserved greater recognition. For fifteen years he was one of those hated but loved villains, fondly remembered by fans as time went on.
The shaven head helped with an unquestionably great grizzly look and it was no surprise he was quickly snapped up for advertising of all kinds, not to forget small parts in the films Time Bandits (1981), Theatre Box (1981) and Telephone (1985). In the ring he stuck to trunks, which did a valiant job holding his stocky girth together. Once the fight started there was little doubt about the direction of travel – the bruiser was on his way to disqualification.
We believe Ian Muir was born at the wrong time, or came into wrestling too late to capitalise on his assets. Born in 1943 he had reached his thirtieth birthday when he appeared on the wrestling circuit in 1974. This was after recovering from a serious injury in his previous job. James Morton, author of “Gangland Soho” has told of the dangers of being a doorman at one of London’s Clubs in the 1960s and 1970s. It wasn’t just a case of the occasional obstreperous punter but more likely falling victim to the gangland power struggle. In December, 1971 while working the door at the Kandy Box Club in Kingly Street Ian was stabbed and shot in both legs. Newspapers reported the doorman as “plump and jovial.”
Three years later he was spending evenings in the safer environment of the professional wrestling ring. Unfortunately Bully Boy had the misfortune of arriving on the scene at the same time as some other even bigger super-heavies. He was in a class above most of them but in the mis-management of late 1970s and 1980s wrestling his fate in supporting action in tag bouts was sealed. A decade earlier and it would have been much more likely that promoters like Jack Dale and Norman Morrell would have nurtured his developing career and moulded a credible wrestling persona as they had done with Mal Kirk, Danny Lynch, John Cox and others.
As it was the promoters tried every nickname imaginable for this 22 stones cockney superheavyeight billed from Lanarkshire through the mid-seventies: The Iron Duke; Bully Boy; The Bruiser.
In 1975 he made his television debut, journeying to the Lancashire coast to face Wayne Bridges. This was the first of twenty televised appearances over the next thirteen years.
Heritage member Ballymoss remembers: “Bully Boy” Muir was a first rate heel. He looked nothing else and admirably played his role, being very quick to stir up any wrestling audience. He possessed plenty of wrestling skill, but sadly his talents were probably underused.”
Ian Muir died on 4th February, 2024, aged 81.
Page added 05/02/2024
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