D. Murphy Outclasses Melbourne Boxer

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30151, 7 June 1963, Page 7

D. Murphy Outclasses Melbourne Boxer

Dion Murphy, the Christchurch light-weight, scored a bloodless victory over Bobby Daldo the Melbourne feather-weight, in a professional catch-weight boxing bout at Canterbury Court last evening The contest was scheduled to go 10 rounds It was over in the fourth round—before Murphy and 1200 spectators had warmed up.

Murphy coasted over the first three rounds, taking the Australian's measure Daldo speeded up in the fourth round and hit Murphy with two left hooks to the face. Murphy, then, came suddenly to life and hit Daldo with four sizzling left rips to the ribs A fifth left landed on Daldo’s solar plexus, and the Australian slumped to the canvas, nursing his tummy m his gloves T.K.O. Decision The referee <Mr N Fisher) began a compulsory eigh: count Daldo was on his at six. but was immediatelyput back on the canvas with another left to the solar plexus Mr Fisher did not bother to count, but awarded the bout to Murphy on a uko It was all over bar the singing—for Murphy has a caoaret engagement to croon pop songs on Saturday night Ringsiders paid 2s a minute for the lOmin 15sec the fight lasted

Weight-for-age. it was an unequal contest from the start Murphy, aged 22, weighed in at 9st 81b The 18-vear-old -Daldo weighed 9st OJlb Ironically, Daldo. the loser won £B5 of the £l5O purse Murphy had to forfeit £25 for failing to make the weight limit of 9st 71b

“He is a good one, and will take a lot of beating.” said Daldo after the fight. Murphy’s next opponent will probably be Pasquale Curcio, the Melbourne weight tor whom Daldo substituted at the last minute, or Darcy Lee. a tough Sydney southpaw. Murphy teller, and with a longer reach, looked more than a match for his game opponent from th* opening bell Daldo

Held his right hanging below his chin all through the fight, although Murphy scored almost at will with light straight lefts above this guard. Daldo earned scatterings of applause for his swift left hooks in round two. but Murphy oiocked most of them and took the others moving away. This was Daldo s round. In round three; Murphy neat Daldo to the punch by using a straight left to counter his opponent's left hooks Daldo scored with two clipping left hooks to the head in round four He did not throw one punch with his right in the entire bout

Preliminary Bouts The amateurs provided varied fare K. Newsome gave away 101 b but beat L. Small in a rousing contest billed as a light-weight bout. B Pope and W Smith covered a great deal of territory to exchange only a small number of blows In the best preliminary bout, G. Bennett and T. O’Donnell both boxed well and hit cleanly Bennett narrowly won an interesting contest The welter-weight contest between the Canterbury amateur title-holder B Harnett, and K Pope was a disappointment—there was more wrestling than boxing. Harnett missed consistenUy with his left lead, and Pope won a narrow decision because he scored the few clean blows The referee tor the preliminary bouts was Mr M. Drury The judges were Messrs J. Shields. C Wellman, and T Wild Results:—

Bantam-weight.—J Sweeney (St Anne’s) «st 81b, beat D Ney lon (Linwood Boys’ Club) Bst Tib. on points (split decision )

Light-weight K Newsome (St Anne’s). 9st 21b. beat L. Small (Fido W’s Gym.). 9st Iolb on points (split decision). Light-welter-weight,—B Pope (Linwood Boys’ Club). 9st 101 b. beat'W Smith (Fidow’s Gym.), 9st 121 b, on points: G Bennett (Crichton Cobbers) 9st 101 b beat T O'Donnell (St Anne's). 9st 111 b. on points Welter-weight.—K Pooe (Linwood Boys’ Club), lost 51b. beat B Harnett (Kaikoura) lost 71b on points (split decision).