MURPHY ASKS FOR SIX-WEEK DELAY

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31083, 11 June 1966, Page 19

MURPHY ASKS FOR SIX-WEEK DELAY

A fight between D. Murphy, the former New Zealand professional light-weight champion, and the Canterbury Boxing Association is in the immediate offing.

Murphy and K. Amarfio, the Ghanaian boxer from Melbourne, have signed articles to meet at Canterbury Court on July 28 for a purse of up to £l5OO.

But yesterday, the C.B.A. president (Mr E. G. Pocock) said that Murphy had advised him that, he has an injured knee and had asked to put the fight back for six weeks.

“Murphy has not produced a medical certificate yet He has signed articles for the bout with Amarfio and he will have to produce a medical certificate to say he is not fit before he can get out of the fight” Mr Pocock said. “Even if he does produce a medical certificate, it is very likely that the C.B.A. executive will want to have him examined by a specialist of its own nomination,” Mr Pocock emphasised. Officials Upset Inquiries show that members of the C.B.A. executive are very upset about Murphy’s request to put the fight back. The C.8.A., very anxious to get Murphy back in the ring after his premature retirement because of an impending hernia operation, sent Mr M. V. Drury to Sydney to negotiate a fight with Amarfio, who lost a split points decision to Murphy after the most exciting bout of Murphy’s career.

Murphy agreed to fight

Amarfio for a percentage purse of the gate, with a limit of £l5OO, and he agreed to fight only if the bout was a light-weight match (up to 9st 91b). Signed Articles. Amarfio agreed to these terms, both signed articles, and the fight was on until, according to Mr Pocock, Murphy told him on Thursday that he had hurt his knee and would not be available until six weeks after July 28. If tlie bout does not take place on July 28, the C.B.A. could not stage it at Canterbury Court until September. The hall is booked for the New Zealand Industries Fair during August and up to September 3.

Mr Pocock announced yesterday that K. Langford, of New South Wales, an aborigine light-weight, would fight E. Mensah, on a lOst limit, at Canterbury Court on June 23, and that G. Ford, of Melbourne ,would fight Mensah on July 14, on a lOst 41b limit.