Boxing: Schwer pummels Murphy into retirement: Champion easily retains British and Commonwealth lightweight titles

BILLY SCHWER comprehensively beat Sean Murphy to retain his British and Commonwealth lightweight titles at Stevenage Ice Bowl last night, persuading the challenger to hang up his gloves.

Schwer's powerful punching was too much for Murphy, who was floored four times as the former British featherweight champion, found the step up in weight beyond him. His face was already reddened from jolting left jabs and right uppercuts by the end of the first round.

Although Murphy came out for the second to try to make a fight of it, he ran into a short right cross which put him on the canvas for the first time. Schwer floored him in the third with a left hook and then again with a right uppercut. When Murphy fell under another left hook half-way through the round, referee Larry O'Connell stopped the fight.

Schwer will be back in action on 4 March at Bethnal Green in a non- title fight against an overseas opponent to be named.