John Murray vs Jon Thaxton British lightweight title official on-site programme, billed "Overdue". 3rd October 2009, Altrincham Leisure Centre, Altrincham, Cheshire.

Condition mint

Murray W TKO 4
John Murray regained the vacant British lightweight title - which he was stripped of in June after being over the 9st 9lbs weight limit on the scales - with a fourth round stoppage of veteran Jon Thaxton.

Referee Howard Foster stopped the fight after 35-year-old Thaxton had been staggered by an arcing right hand. Thaxton remonstrated with the referee, but Murray looked dominant throughout, extending his winning professional streak to 28 fights.

Murray began cagily in the first round, but staggered Thaxton in the second round and dominated the third with crisp jabs, and hooks, and his guard held high. Thaxton looked to land power punches but Murray was too young, too fresh, and ultimately too ambitious for the Norfolk man.

Price: £5

John Murray (born 20 December 1984, Manchester, England) undefeated British lightweight champion. He is trained by Joe Gallagher at the Denton Gym in Manchester and is the brother of former British Olympian Joe Murray.

Early Pro Career
Murray's first professional fight took place in September 2003 with a 4 round points win win over journeyman Peter Buckley. Over the next two years Murray was busy in the ring scoring 15 more wins in 15 fights before in December 2005 defeating Ignacio Mendoza for the WBC World Youth lightweight title. He made one defence of his title against Moebi Sarouna and scored decent wins over Ben Odamattey and Lorenzo Bethea before defeating Dean Hickman at the Ice Arena in Nottingham for the English title. In October 2006 he was awarded the prestigious young boxer of the year award at a ceremony held in London, an award previously held by the likes of Ricky Hatton, Frank Bruno and Barry McGuigan.

British Champion
Following the Hickman victory, Murray fought twice more against journeyman opponents before meeting Salford boxer Lee Meager for the vacant British lightweight title in July 2008. He won the belt after the referee stopped the fight in the 5th round. Following the fight Meager, a promotional stablemate, announced his retirement. The first defence of his title was made on 17 January 2009 at the Robin Park Centre in Wigan. Murray managed to keep hold of the belt after scoring an 8th round stoppage over Aberdeen's Lee McAllister.

Murray's second defence of the title on 13 June 2009 against Stoke fighter Scott Lawton ended before it had even begun when Murray weighed in for the contest 2oz overweight. Despite efforts to get down to the lightweight limit, Murray was unable to shift the weight and was stripped of the belt. The contest with Lawton still went ahead and resulted in a sixth round stoppage for Murray ensuring that he was still undefeated but no longer a champion. As punishment for failing to make the weight in a championship contest Murray, his trainer Joe Gallagher and his manager Mike Marsden were each fined £1500 by the British Boxing Board of Control.