SPORT IN BRITAIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26772, 15 May 1948, Page 7

SPORT IN BRITAIN

FIGHT FOR MURPHY EMPIRE TITLE AT STAKE " VERY CONFIDENT, BUT DESPERATE” From A. W. Mitchell. N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent Rec. 8 p_.ni. LONDON, May 14. * “Very confident, but desperate,” is how Bos Murphy feels about his 15-round fight with the coloured boxer, Dick Turpin, for the Empire Middle-weight Championship at Coventry on May 18. Murphy has been training for the last three weeks at Brighton in a “ fighting Irish ” atmosphere. He is staying with an Irishman, and two of his sparring partners are Irish—Johnny Williams, the Irish heavy-weight champion, and Pat Mulcahy. Murphy has been up every morning at 5.45 for three to five miles roadwork, followed at 11.30 by work in the gymnasium, exercising, sparring and shadow boxing over 11 rounds. “Turpin, in my opinion, is the best man I shall have ever crossed gloves with,” Murphy said. “He is very foxy, and a very good puncher. But if he does take my title he will know that he has had

a good fight.” Murphy’s trainer at Brighton, Jack Jordan, who was especially appointed by the New Zealander’s manager, Sam Burns, takes a very good view of Murphy’s chances. He "is more than pleased” with Murphy’s training, and by pre-war standards, he does not rate Turpin too highly. In his last fight, when he was beaten by Mark Hart, Murphy felt he was stale. According to his London trainer, Jack Jones, he took the fight too casually, thinking he had an easy win. It is certain that if the New Zealander does not show better form next Tuesday, Turpin will beat him, in which case Murphy might just as well pack up and go home. If he wins his reputation. which is not high in British boxing circles, will soar. Race for Doug. Harris Doug. Harris, the New Zealand Olympic runner, had his first race as part of his prepartion for the Games last Wednesday. He represented Loughborough / College against Birmingham University in a quarter-mile, which he won easily on a cinder track by 20 yards in 51.2 seconds. “ I regarded it, as a training run purely and simply,” said Harris. “ The track was a bit soggy after heavy rain and I just jogged around and was not even puffing at the finish. I was not trying for a fast time. That will come later.”

Harris will have another outing in a week’s time when he competes at Hotspur Park, London, in the University Athletic Union’s meeting, which takes place on May 21 and 22. He will probably run in the Quartermile. He will be at White City (London) on Whit Monday to attend the British Games, which will be the first Olympic trials. He will be the.v not to run but to watch two English Halfmile “ possibles,” Tarraway and Nankivell.

Harris contemplates four further engagements before final preparation for the Games: a Quarter-mile and perhaps a Half-mile in Iceland at the end of May, both distances in the Loughborough College sports on June 12, a Half-mile in Amsterdam on June 20, and a Half and perhaps Quarter-mile at the Amateur Athletic Association’s championships ,on July 2 and 3. Rowing “Style” Controversy

There has been trouble in British Olympic rowing circles over style. It concerns the old question of orthodoxy versus Fairbairnism. C. B. R. Barton, who stroked the Cambridge University eight when they returned record time in beating Oxford in the boat race, is a Fairbairn convert. His Jesus College crew with which he won the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley last year, beating Swiss, Dutch and Leander crews, rowed “ Fairbairn.” Cambridge, ' however, • insisted on orthodox style for the boat race and Barton had no difficulty in switching. When Barton was chosen by the Olympic Sub-selection Committee to be captain of the official “AUC ” Olympic trials crew, he announced that he would build it around the winning Cambridge crew. But he also decided to revert to the Fairbairn style which the Cambridge men did not like. After about a week’s rowing, Barton invited two Jesus College men, one of whom had been in his winning “ Grand ” crew, to row.

The Cambridge men felt that they were being used temporarily and they objected to the “ unorthodox ” style. So they decided to leave the crew and Barton will now build it around his winning crew of last year. He issued a statement "regretting profoundly the difference of opinion—on rowing style—that had arisen between myself and some members of the Cambridge crew which won the boat race. I feel confident that with the support of the Sub-selection Committee, I shall produce a crew worthy to represent Britain in the Games.” There now appears to be four possible eights competing in the Olympic trials: Barton, an eight from Cambridge, another from Oxford, and the fourth from Lincolnshire.-