The Washington times., 1925-05-29

Champion Gains Support in
TussIe With Punch 'Em"
Paul RerIenbach
Nv SID MERCER

BY SID MERCER
NEW YORK, May 2s.-Nike
MeTigue, holder Of. the. light
heavyweight chanipionship Of the
world, defends his. ring honors to,
night at the Yankee Stadium
against the attack of Paul Ber-
lenbach, Of Astoria. The call for
reservatiohs yesterday was SO
heavy that Promoter Tex Richard
declared only 8 fair break IN
weather conditions is needed now
to send the gate receipts above
500, 900. Tex is contributing his
personal supervision and organiza-
ton, and after the boxers are paid
the entire profits viii be turned
over to swell the fund that fur
nishes free milk for babies in the
cengested districts of the city.
McTigue now looms up as post
time favOrife over Paul Berlenbach,
who was quoted at Z to 5 in the
early betting, Among managers.
promoters and other men Of expert
opinion questioned yesterday the
uhdercurrent for McTigue runs
strong.
The one disturbing question is
the condition of Mikes right hand.
The champion has been using it
freely & without experiencing any
discomfpEt, but nobody knows how
Il viii stand collision with Ber-
lenbacf1's head. If McTigue has
free use OF his right all the way,
he should win IL he goes the limit:
Many OF the experts think he has
an excellent chance to. stop Punch
ing Paul.
Those who have studied BerIen-
bacll's style ii1teIIigenfly figure
that MeTlgue must employ ex-
treme- caution for at least five
rounds. TheF1 Is 3 strong feeling
that If BefIenbacI1 has not
reached afitaI spot By that time
he viii slow mp and be an easy
target fef the SHARP slloeting
BerIenbach had no defense
AGAINST DeIaney after he vas hurt,
but, Of course, McTigue Is no one
punch specialist He will have to
hit Berlenbach with q flock Of
rights to soften up the big fellow.
Frank Bagley. who has been
supervising McTigue's training at
Summit. came in to spear some
tickets yesterday and unIoaded a
prediction that McTigue would win
BY "a Knockout.
Every one agrees that McTigue
ID smart boxer" said Baglev.
'1and he can, really fight when he
wants to. If Berlenbach hurts him
you will see a great scrap. Then il
Mike sinks he will pass out in a
blaze Of glory. / don't think that
will happen. though. McTigue Is
in great condition and he is alb.
solutely confident that BerlenbacFl
cannot corner him. He thinks this
fight Is just gaIIop.
Mike Will be a different fighter
IN a decision bout where the old
title ID laid on the. line. They
wont. take his crown away from
him without a. struggle. What I
Ike about him this time is his care.
free attitude.
Il haven't let. him do. any box.
ing for two days. He eats heartily
and sleeps Ikea top. He has no
weight to- take off so he can in.
dulge his appetite and that i'm.
proves any fighters disposition
mike was crashing that right
INTO his sparring partners last
week and now that ne has quit
boxing he goes around looking
for spots to test his mauIers.
Only yesterday 1 discovered him
humping away. 1T the side Of the
barn with his bare right hand.
He likes to feel himself hitting
with that duke without the fear
Of hurting It.
I'VE have been able to keep him
At the weight he set for himself
and ! think he will even do a
little better. I figure he will scale
around 167 pounds at the weigh
ing and he should be all Of ITO
when he enters the ring"
Berlenbach also called at the
Garden offices yesterday to pick UP
his reservations. He scouts the
idea of going on the receiving end
OF a knockout.
Delaney and Marullo punched
me plenty" argues Paul. Nc
Tigue is not rugged enough to mix
with me and his hands are liable to
crack up on him.
The Delaney-MarllIo semi-fina1
is hard one to pick. The experts
like Delaney. but adp1it Marullo is
a hardy citizen with a pretty good
right hand himself. Here. again,
the right hand query arises I'm his
two previous appearances here Mar
ullo fought with crippled right.
He has since been mended by the
same surgeon who remade the right
gaj1ds of Delaney and McTirue.
Delaney should Outlook MaruIIo. but
there is always the chance that he
may fail to remove his jaw from
the danger zone.
slattery eie generally favored to
win from Jack Burke. The Buf.
falo youth. Hashiest Of them ali.
has been knocking out his victims
N two or three rounds. Burke,
however, is cagey veteran and the
distance is only six rounds.
Ennk