Debut in Manhattan

Harry Matthews of Seattle has been knocking over the hambos of the middleweight and light-heavyweight divisions for eight years, but the wise boys just asked, "Who'd he ever beat?" Matthews had fought most of his 87 fights on the West Coast (and won 55 by knockouts), had never in his life been matched into Madison Square Garden. Last week, against a slugging left-hander named Bob Murphy, distinctly no hambo, he made his Garden debut. Murphy and the skeptical East Coast found out about Harry Matthews.

From the opening bell, ex-Sailor Murphy came boring in like a brawling longshoreman, trying to land the knockout left that has polished off 50 out of 58 opponents, and made Murphy one of the top contenders for the light-heavyweight title. The referee had to warn Murphy against his grab-and-hit tactics (clutching with his right glove while pounding with his left). But Matthews was taking care of himself. He boxed with Marquess of Queensberry manners, but kept thumping powerful lefts & rights to Murphy's body. Later, when Murphy continued to bore in with a splendid disregard of the punishment he'd taken, Matthews showed that he has more than one specialty by jabbing punishing lefts to Murphy's head. Meanwhile, Matthews had been absorbing Murphy's best punches without too great damage, had quickly solved the puzzle of Murphy's windmill style. The verdict: unanimous for 28-year-old Harry Matthews.

Until 18 months ago, Matthews was little better than a run-of-mill fighter. The man who brought him to his present polish is Manager Jack Hurley, a mild, sad-faced ring professor who also taught such fighters as Billy Petrolle and Vince Foster how to punch. Hurley's secret of punching? Says Hurley, without revealing too much: "It's a knack, a matter of leverage. I had to make Harry forget everything he ever learned, then teach him separately how to use his feet, arms and body. When he put 'em together, he had the proper leverage, the knack."

Murphy, on the receiving end of punches that blackened Matthews' fists and swelled them to almost twice normal size, confirmed the fact that Harry had certainly learned the knack, whatever it is. Said Murphy: "He's terrific. It's like being hit with a freight train." Matthews, a lantern-jawed ex-G.I. with a wife and two children, takes a serious pride in his work. Says Hurley: "He works harder at it than any fighter I ever had."

Now clearly the No. I challenger for reluctant Joey Maxim's light-heavyweight title, Matthews gives credit where credit is due: "I was a stinking boxer until I met Jack Hurley."

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