Small splits from trainer Lawrence

ANTHONY Small, who fights tomorrow (Friday) night on a Sports Network promoted charity dinner show at the Grosvenor House, Park Lane, has split with Hackney champion-maker Brian Lawrence.

Lawrence, who took over the under-achieving Small's training five months ago, has steered the south Londoner to the Southern Area light-middleweight and helped him defend it.

Small took the vacant title when he stopped Margate's former contender Mehrdud Takaloo in seven rounds in an impressive display, the Deptford boxer's first contest under Lawrence's guidance.

Then in July, the Clapton based trainer was in Small's corner as he took on the London based Bristolian George Katsimpas to defend the Southern Area crown. Small stopped the west Countryman in eight rounds, in what proved to be his last fight under Lawrence.

Tomorrow evening, Small, who hasn't announced who will train him in future, takes on tough American Freddy Curiel, from New Jersey, whose most memorable fight in this country was to stop Ross Minter, son of former world middleweight champion Alan, in the eighth and final round of their meeting.

lAlthough Clapton's Brian Lawrence won't be there, he will be at York Hall on Saturday evening, when another of his recent recruits, Scott Belshaw, fights Tomas Mrazek, of the Czech Republic, on a Maloney Promotion at York Hall.

Belshaw, the 6 ft 7 in Northern Irishman, has fought once since Lawrence took responsibility for the heavyweight's training, reversing the only blot on his otherwise perfect pro record, by heavily outpointing Russian Daniel Peret, who had beaten Belshaw by a single point, four months before.

Another boxer from Lawrence's Clapton camp, Brighton light-welterweight Ben Murphy should have been on Saturday's show, but bruised a knuckle in training and has been withdrawn..

Murphy will now fight on the next Maloney show at Dagenham on October 17.