GUYANA’S only boxer to successfully defend a Commonwealth title twice, Andrew Murray, will be laid to rest today at Le Repentir Cemetery, Georgetown.

The body will lie in state at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall from 15:00 hrs. The funeral service will be conducted by Pastor John Smith of the Assemblies of God Church.

Members of the public can file past the casket for a final view of the twice-crowned World Boxing Association Latin America champion at the A&D Funeral Parlour, Cemetery Road, La Penitence, from 12:00 hrs.

Murray’s interment will close the final chapter of the illustrious life of a sportsman who was described as a complete boxer by friend and trainer Lennox Daniels, and who achieved national recognition when he won the Sportsman of the Year title and was awarded the Medal of Service.

Just two significant achievements missed him - a shot at the Olympics and a world title. His chance for Olympic glory was lost when Pascal David, whom he again lost to in the professional ring, beat him in the box-off for the 1988 Seoul Games. Probably poor preparation and an early cut later denied him a world title when he met Ghanaian Ike Quartey in France.

After a successful amateur career, Murray’s international recognition came on February 28, 1993, with the Fecarbox welterweight belt, symbolising championship status in Central America and the Caribbean.

Murray inscribed his name in the top ten rating in the world’s record books with a September 18, 1993 unanimous points decision over Kevin Pompey who was rated fourth in the world by the World Boxing Association.

Weeks later, the boxer won his Commonwealth welterweight crown on October 15, the first Guyanese to win such a title in England. He successfully defended the title on February 26, 1995 and October 2, 1996.

During that period, Murray added the WBA Latin America welterweight belt to his collection on February 22, 1994, retaining it on October 16, the same year.

The local champion’s shot for the WBA welterweight came on August 23, 1995, but the fight was stopped in the fourth round because of a cut he sustained, and Quartey retained the crown with a TKO.

Murray had to give up his WBA Latin America welterweight title for the world title crack, but won back the belt on March 16, 1997, successfully defending it on October 11, that same year.

Even as the champion sought a second Commonwealth title, the boxer began putting back into the sport he loved so much, starting with an Under-16 tournament just the day after his friend, Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis gave Guyana the country’s first world title.

Murray began serving on the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association as a vice-president and had taken the task of preparing boxers for the Olympics, assisted by promoter Keith Bazilio and national coach Lennox Daniels.

The former champion, also, wanted to help the sport on the professional scene, staging two cards to give the ring-starved local boxers a chance to earn some money.

But spreading and promoting the sport seemed to be Murray’s primary concern because he took one of his cards to Linden, giving back the mining town boxing after over a decade. His card also featured amateur bouts for much-needed exposure.

Such work and aspirations ended Saturday night when his car plunged into a ravine and he died a few hours later. He had visited Linden to fine-tune arrangements for his second card there this month and he was returning home when the accident occurred

Today, final homage will be paid to his great sportsman at the venue where he fought most of his fights. He never lost there in the professional ring. Farewell, great hero!