By Terence Dooley
Joe Murray (128½lb) took a left hook during a fast, and open, start to his scheduled six-threes contest at Robin Park Centre, Wigan on Saturday but quickly settled down, giving Richard Szebeledi (128¼lb), 24, kittens by the close of the opener.
A left hook to the body opened the second, Murray also scored with a left uppercut before delivering the coup de grace, a right hand to the head of his opponent that dropped the Hungarian heavily and signalled the end at 2:05 of the stanza. Referee Steve Gray dispensing with the count and declaring what he tells me is known amongst referees as a 'technical count out'.
Trainer Joe Gallagher could barely contain his pride when asked to appraise the younger Murray's development. “The kid was awkward,” declared Gallagher. “I saw him fight [British bantamweight champion] Stuart Hall earlier this year and noticed he was a bit of a swinger. I was glad Joe finished him in two because I didn't want John [Murray] sitting around in the dressing room waiting for his EBU fight against Andriy Kudriatsev. I left John warm and ready to go and he didn't get a chance to go cold because Joe finished it.
“Joe had a couple of faults in the performance that we saw and will work on but I was pleased overall. Joe had six months off before this fight and we saw him go from a boy to a man because his attitude has been perfect. The biggest thing is making the transfer from the Olympics to being in a man's sport. Joe showed how professional he is.
“Joe also got off with a left hook to the body and right uppercut in the first round and that last shot was a real TV shot. Sky TV have been showing John hitting Gary Buckland with a right hand in their TV spots and I'm sure that Joe's punch was as equally TV-worthy.
“Joe made sure the guy was Ok and then got straight back to be there for John's win. I was pleased with the way he handled it all. As a trainer, I was pleased to see that Joe revelled in his opportunity and grew with it – Joe didn't get swallowed up by the occasion or the atmosphere.”
Murray moves to 8-0 (4), the Olympian inflicting Szebeledi's thirteenth defeat, against seven wins, and looking the part in doing so, the 23-year-old feels that he is learning with every fight in the paid ranks. “I enjoyed it,” enthused Murray. “I want to be out again soon. I didn't take many shots so can't wait for the next one.
“He came in a bit more so I got my shots off and landed clean with the shot that ended it. I was pleased with the performance and I think it shows that I've come on. It was a big night for my family. There weren't any pressure on me, it was more on John because he was getting ready for a title fight – I was just enjoying the experience. I had to have some fun and games to get ready early to bring John's title out but I made sure that I didn't get stressed out for John's sake and took it in my stride.
“The crowd came out because they get two for the price of one. Me going on before John got the crowd excited and it was our best night in boxing. Boxing on my brother's undercard when he's close to a world title made it my best day as a pro.”
Murray has always insisted that he will score stoppages as long as opponents come to him, he feels that he underlined this point on Saturday night. “When you fight journeymen they come to survive because they can't fight if they get stopped. A good fighter should break them down anyway and that is hopefully what I'm going to do in those fights,” he declared.
“I've said before that the more the guys come to fight the more knockouts I'll score, and Saturday showed that, he came to fight, got caught, and was gone. I've had good feedback and a lot of people can't wait for my next fight. I want to take it forward and hopefully I can show them the new Joe Murray.”
Murray won a bronze at the World Amateur Championships in 2007, this is no guarantee of professional success but suggests that Joe will be moved quickly. “Hopefully,” said Murray when asked if he will go far as a pro. “I won't predict titles because I'm only eight fights in. If the titles come I'll grab them with both hands. But I leave it to Joe, he'll tell me when the time comes.”
Jason booth recently lost a super-bantamweight title tilt to Canada's Steve Molitor; Rendall Munroe faces WBC boss Toshiaki Nishioka in Japan later this month; Murray believes that both Booth and Munroe have blazed a trail on the world scene in recent times and hopes to one day emulate their achievements.
“Jason Boxed well. He wasn't big enough to stay with Molitor and the weight got to him at the end but he boxed well and got a lot of credit,” mused Murray. “Jason was just a little bit away from winning it. Rendall has got a great chance and hopefully he can pull it off and bring a title back to England.”
Closer to home, Murray was impressed by John's will to win, marvelling over his older brother's desire to fight despite a niggle to his left eye earlier in the week. “John boxed well,” said Murray when assessing the other Murray's win.
“The kid is very tough, very strong and John did well to get him out there in nine rounds after the eye problem he'd had. If the eye had gone he could have been out the fight and he boxed really well with all that pressure on him.”
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