MURPHY'S CHANCES GOOD FOR BRITISH TITLE

Chronicle (Levin), 8 January 1948, Page 7

MURPHY'S CHANCES GOOD FOR BRITISH TITLE

— T Received WeduesQay, 7 p.m. LONDON, Jaii. 7. If Bos Alurphy bOKts'Viuce Hawkins. Bi'Lt.iyli . iHid(lle-weigli't" eliain])ro7i, at tlu lioyal Albert Hall on Januarv 26, lie will meet Marcel Oerdan, French and Europeau champiou. The winner of that tight will have tlie tir.st claitn to light Roclcy Graziaiio, world middlevveight cbampion. That is the prograninie -which Sani Burns, who is managing for JMurpliy, and who is general inauager for Jack Solomons, international boxing proinoter, has for the. New Zealander. "Murphy," said Alr. Bunis, ''is coming along very nicelv in his training for the tight with Hawkins. He diu very well to beat the dainaican Petersen in his last fight but I wasn't altogether pleased with liim for 1 know lie is a better lighter tlian he appeared to be that niglit. It takes a l'ew moutlm for boys from down under to get acclimatised here, of course, and that was partlv tlie trouble. "Bos is now gettijig quite used to English conditions and L feel he has every chaiice agai ust Hawkins though the British boy. is probably the best lighter Bos hh^ ever met. Hawkins only lost three lights inUlie whole oi his career and he is a great lighter." Mr. Burns remarked that Murphy had made a most favourable impression iu British boxing circles, adding: "He is a most intelligent chap. " Murphy, who is now turniug the scales at list 61bs, is liviug out at Croydon, a London suburb. Every other day he comes to Jack Soiomons*' gymnasiuin in Great AVindmill Wtreet — a stone 's throw from Piccadilly Circus — where he does ten rounds' sparring. Until recently oue of his partners has been the New Zealander Johnnv McKenna. His c-hief partner at the nioment is Tommy Uren, the Australian heavyweight, who strips at 13st 6lbs. Between now and the fight Mr. Burns is lining up half a dozen more sparring partners. On alternate days Murpliy exercises and does about eight to nine miles o± road work round Croydon and Northwood twice as much as he used to do in New Zealand. ' ' I have to get all the fresh air I can," he said. "It's pretty hard to nnd in London."

Murph\"s right hand has now re eovered from tlie injury rece'i ved during the match with the Jamaican, except for a slight lump on the back. Hedinds the English rations "not the same as back |iome," but he added: "We gat a good cook and we get plenty of fresh vegetables." Uren said, of Mtfrphy: "He is moving better now than' at any time since he arrived in England. He .is verv strong and has a wiclted left liand and is very hard to hit. * I thihk he should do well against Hawkins-. ' i