MURPHY CONFIDENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26770, 13 May 1948, Page 8

MURPHY CONFIDENT

RETENTION OF TITLE

BOUT AGAINST TURPIN P.A. WELLINGTON,' May 12. Though odds have been quoted against him, Bos Murphy is confident of retaining his British Empire middleweight title against the coloured boxer Dick Turpin, the outstanding British middle-weight, when the pair meet m an open-air contest at Coventry next week. The fight was originally set down for May 17, a general holiday, according to a letter receiyed from Murphy by Mr P. J, Galvin. The bout, however, is now set down for May 18, in the afternoon. The approximate New Zealand time for the contest would be between 2 and 4 a.in. There was tremendous local interest, and a huge crowd was expected, the letter stated.

While not wishing to make excuses for his defeat by Mark Hart in his last fight, Murphy says he could not recall having entered the ring so listless or having fought so sluggishly. He attributed this to too much monotony in his training schedule, morbid gymnasium surroundings, constant cigar smoke, and “talking fight day and night,” coupled with the fact that he had been in solid training for about eight months. Even his favourite left hand failed to function as usual. Immediately following the Hart fight, Murphy said, he took a spell for three weeks, devoting this to tennis and golf, and forgetting completely about fighting. The relaxation in new surroundings had acted as a great tonic, and on April 26 he went to Brighton to begin his hew training schedule for his fight in defence of the title. “ I already feel better now than at any stage since I left New Zealand,” said Murphy. He expects to take the ring at list 4jib

Murphy has a guarantee of £2OOO and a percentage of the gate for his fight with Turpin, who is considered Britain’s best fighter for years, and a possibility for the world middleweight crown.