Graham in invitation boxing team

Press, 23 April 1984, Page 15

Graham in invitation boxing team

By JOHN COFFEY Paul Graham, of Canterbury, will make an auspicious debut in senior amateur boxing when he competes for aNewZealandinvitationteam against Ireland at the Richmond Workingmen’s Club on the evening of May 3. A very proficient performer in the lower grades, Graham underlined his potential by winning the national intermediate welferweight title in 19ls. His Irish opponent will be

Brendan O’Hara, another comparative newcomer to the open ranks, though already the holder of the Ulster senior championship in his division. “It will be a big hurdle for Paul to go into such a bout without any lead-up fights this season,” Graham’s trainer, Kevin Barry senior, said yesterday. “But he has bad of gym-work and his prepara-

tion has been carefully planned. Paul has not been pushed in recent times. He had only three bouts last year, but I believe he is ready for a contest of this nature,” said Mr Barry. , Graham will have four full internationals with him in the seven-man invitation team, which was announced yesterday. The matchings are (Irish names first): 54kg, Roy Nash v. Johnny Wallace (Southland); 57kg,

Brendan Lowe v. Peter Warren (Southland); 60kg, Brian Catney v. Eldon Clifton (Otago); 63.5 kg, Billy McClean v. Tom Turner (Dannevirke) 67kg, Brendan O’Hara v. Graham; 71kg, Sam Storey v. Stephen Nicol (Manawatu); 75kg, Gerry Storey junior v. Perry Rackley (Nelson). In addition to Graham, the mother newcomers to international competition are Nicol, who faces a par-

ticularly difficult assignment against the younger of the Storey brothers, and Turner, who upset the accomplished Barry Galbraith (Nelson) at the 1983 national championships before losing to Michael Sykes (Rotorua) in the final.

The youthful Wallace distinguished himself by earning a silver medal at the recent Oceania championships in Taiwan, ancLClifton was an Oceania rufcner-up when beaten by his country-

man, Sykes, at Auckland in 1982.

Warren, a tough little customer, boxed for New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane. But by far the most experienced member of the squad is Rackley, who fought at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, has now recovered from a serious leg injury and had a last-start win at the expense of a Fijian opponent.