Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-07-06
TAM GOING TO
MEET HEENEY,'
SAYS TUNNEY
Both Champ and Rick
ard Reply to Rumor
That Battle Is Off;
Public Is Cold
BY ALAN J. GOULD
Associated Press Sports Editor

BOSTON. July 6.-(RJ-It may be
gathered that the situation has be-
come a trifle serious when the heavy
weight champion Of the world per-
sonally takes up the cudgels for Tex
Richard in the best interests of the
title affair in which Tom Heeney is
to be the party of the second part.
Taking cogniZance, as the boys say,
Of the widely circulated reports
that developments might occur to
halt or postpone the championship
bout, Gene Tunney advises by tele-
graph he is surprised" than anyone
would lend credence to pernicious
rumor started by enemies Of Richard
with purpose to be-little the contest
Of the twenty-sixth and discredit
Richard.
"Can assure YOU he concludes.
contest will be fought on July
twenty-sixth regardless Of what ru-
NOR creators and detractors say"
Heeney To BE Foe
There is no side-stepping or pull
ing Of verbal punches here. The
champions spokesman, Steve Hanne-
gan. takes an even sitter wallop ut
Richards enemies"
"Palpable plot" is the way Hanne-
gan brands the rumors, apathy and
skepticism that have seemed to sur
round the big bout. He adds:
Regardless Of what rumors say,
you can rest assured that contest will
take place and with no other op-
ponent than Tom Heeney who has
proved his right TO match by his rec
ord Of victories since his arrival in
this country eighteen months ago.
Story he is to be replaced by Sharkey
ridiculous as Sharkey il by virtue Of
his defeat at the hands Of Risko
eliminated"
This appears to make il unanimous
Richard and Tunney both have made
10 clear there will be a fight at the
Yankee stadium for the heavyweight
title on the night Of July 26, tor
price $40 including the tax of ~
per cent. Since each has a some-
what strong personal interest in the
affair their emphatic rebuttal ought
to discourage the doubters and skep-
tics wen if it does not drive them
entirely to cover.
Farley Not Enthused
Whether or not any plot Is in
volved is something else. There Is
a chance for the fistic sleuths here.
II is not clear 70 observers, however,
just how the plotters, If any, have
managed TO influence the indifference
that is manifestly widespread. Tun-
ney blames il on "detractors;" Rick
ard on just plain knockers"
Some Of the outlying returns are
interesting. Among them a pro-
nouncement credited To James "A. Far
ley. chairman Of the New York state
athletic commission on the way back
from the democratic national copven-
tion. The New Orleans Times Plea
yune quotes Farley as follows:
This coming bout at the Yankee
stadium between Tunney and Heeney
will be pie for Tunney. | think he
could lick Heeney with one arm. All
Gene will have to do is stand W
and feed him one-two punches to the
head. The match, / think, would
have been a better one had Risko OF
iSharkey been selected 10 fight the
champion.
I'VE don't expect the gate to 20 a.
high as ST, 200, 600"
This is not calculated 70 arouse the
enthusiasm Of either Richard or Tun.
Eey. The promoter expects a gate o.
81 SOC. 900 and the champion has n,
idea that Heeney will be a set-up. II
will take the developments Of the
night of July 26 TO determine this.