The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-06
Australian Billy Murphy Wants
to Fight McGOvern.
Old Time Feather Champion
Thinks He Is ssAlive'' Yet.
HAS HAD FOUR BOUTS
During Last Year and Made a
Good Showing.
Has Sent a Challenge to Terry
For a Contest.

Sioux City, Ia, July Gust gimme
a go with Terry McGovern an I'll die
happy" declares Australian Billy
Murphy. "'Tisn't the purse I care for.
Let the winner take it all. These chaps
think I'm a dead 'un, but I've got a
punch up my sleeve to do for the best of
'em yet. Terry's just my style O fight
er, Y know. He's up an comm. don't
like these ere sprinters.''
Local sports think Murphy isn't en-
tirely mistaken in his estimate of him
self. He Is undoubtedly past his prime,
but his famous right swing is as dan
Eerous as ever, and, If he lands neither
McGovern nor any other fighter would
be likely to recover inside of ten sec
onds. His friends here figure that he
would stand about one chance in three
or four against the Brooklyn wonder
and he can undoubtedly secure plenty of
backing at those odds.
During his years residence in Sioux
City he has had four fights Two OF
them were with Sig Hart One of them
was declared draw, while in the other
Sig won the decision on points. AS 4
matter of fact, Sig unQuestionably out
pointed his adversary on both occasions.
1T must not be assumed. however. that
dne had really any the best of the fights
both were limited to Is rounds and
Harris sole hope was to keep out of the
Australians way until the gong sound
ed for the last time. At no stage of the
game had he any chance of landing a
Knockout
Murphy repeatedly exposed himself in
the hope of encouraging his adversary
to do likewise. But Sig was too prudent
to avail himself of these opportunities.
His method was to strike and run, and,
as result of Murphy's contempt for his
punches, many of his blows found their
mark. Had the contest continued indef-
1nitely the former featherweight cham
pion would certainly have worn him out
and landed a knockout.
The third of the little Australians
battles was with Patsy Magnera Yank-
ton, s. D., pug1list. Magner, though a
man OF little more than local reputation
has won or drawn with a number Of
prominent fighters. He is an exceeding
dangerous man of the rough-and-tuTn-
bic order and at the time of his contest
with Murphy outweighed the latter by
nearly 30 pounds Billy made punch
ing bag of him, knocked him through
the ropes twice before the middle of the
second round and would certainly have
quickly finished him had the police not
stopped the mill on account of its bru-
tally.
Murphy's last fight here was with
larry Gleason of Chicago Gleason was
the younger man of the two by Is or 16
years and weighed about 40 pounds to
Murphy's lis. For two rounds he seem
ed to have the best of the fight The
third and fourth We're pretty even. In
the fifth Murphy evidently HAD his man
going In the sixth the Chicagoan was
knocked down as fast as he could get
0poA his ASol- lie fought 2amely. but
Murphy would certainly have finished
MIN in one or two more punches had he
not mad the misfortune to break his
right arm against the side of his antag-
onlst's head. That ended the fight
The break proved a very bad one
once the bones were improperly set and
mad to be rebroken. For a long time
after this operation the arm was stiff
and 1t looked as if the owner would new
er be mt for the ring again. Both
Murphy and his physician say the arm
IS as good as ever, and if this is true
lilly IS undoubtedly a dangerous man
But he has reached a point where it is
GlHacult for him to make a match
x ounger fighters feel that he belongs to
the class of has beens'' and that Iittla
credit is to be won by beating him. on
the other hand, he is still SO stiff
puncher that he may land a Knockout
at any time Too much is to be lost and
TOO Mite TO be gained to make a mill
with MIN a safe proposition
Bhly's own contention is that his long
ana honorable career in the ring emit
ties him to a certain amount of conai5-
Grafton He sent a challenge to the win
ner or the McGovern-Dixon fight h,1t
has received no answer as vet