Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-01-14
ODDS ON FAVORITE GIVEN EVEN
BREAK TO DISPLEASURE OF MOB
OF HOWLING FANS IN new YORK

NEW YORK, Jan. Is up = Jack
Sharkey and Tom Heeney, rival
heavyweight title aspirantS, foughG
to.%a slashing draw tonight IN a IL
round match that upset the dope,
and left experts as well as spectators
sharply divided in opinion.
Apparently believing that Heeney's
bull dog aggtesSiveness had given
him the edge, the crowd of $1,000
oillookers set up chorus OF booes
and jeerS after the decisiop1 but the
critics gallery at the ringside gave a
majority opinion in favor of the
Boston ex-sailor.
1t was a close fight from start
to finish, but shock to the critica
who had installed Sharkey a heavy
favorite as well as a disappointment
to those expecting the bout to de-
velop an outstanding contender for
Gene Tunney'S crown 4s
Sharkey gained the draw by a
lighting comeback in the last few
rounds, after Heei1ey had piled up, 81
substantial early margin on points,
but the now silent sailor was far
from the cool, confident and ruthless
efficient fighting machine OF. a year
ago. R aes. s ,-.g
Whether the Knockout suffered at
the hands OF Jack Dempsey has left
Its mark in weakened stamina and
confidence, or whether his six months
lay off was responsible for poor TIM
ing and SlowneSs afoot, Sharkey was
considerably below his expected form.
Heeney, battling with bull DOG grit
QnH ~fnrnnifu I9o
start to finish, working inside Shark
ey's defense to punish the sailor
about the mid area that Withstood
such ptmmeling from Dempsey
last july Short-arm left hooks and
right uppercuts were the best weapons
OF the chunky New zealander as he
tore in with a two listed attack.
From the third through the seventh
round, Heeney kept plugging away
with. telling effect. He, cuffed,
WreStled and harried his taller slight
ly heavier and more experienced OPP
pcnent In close, Heeney was at his,
best. while on one occasion, in the
fifth round, he landed vicious fight
handler that sent Sharkey flying back
to the ropes. This was one of the
sharpest blows OF the entire fight
and the only one that came close
to accounting for a knockdoWr
Sharkey was sent to his knees in
the tenth round, but it was from,
the force OF partly missed right
handler to- Heeney'S head.
Heeney, unable to keep up his
gruelling pace, was forced back and
made a target for sharp right crosses
and stiff leftS to the body in the
closing five rounds. Sharkey still
found difficulty locating his mark
at times and he was slow afoot, but
he outboxed the Anzac and landed
the aSharper blows.
sHeeney, always willing to mix and
seeking close quarters constantly,
found Sharkey's chin more difficult
to reach as the fight wore ON.
Likewise he was more often tied
mp in few bow knots by the sailor
as they clinched. But few times was
either boxer able to sustain much of
an advantage. It was nip and tuck
in most of the rounds.
The official, vote of the two Judges
and referee, Jack Denning, will not
be disclosed until tomorrow, but ex-
pert opinion was at wide variance
tonight. Most of the critics appeared
TO-, give. Sharkey slight edge, but
few registered more than seven
rounds in his favor, while others
scored an edge for Heepey
If anything it was a moral victory
for the New .zealander, who from
a crude and little kncwfi fighter a
year ago has developed into one OF
the most formidable heavyWeightS
on the list. Heeney, too. was on the
short se1ld Of the betting which was
reported at the FEingSide to be- 2 to- !.
in Sharkey's favor before the bout
Sharkey, in his comeback, regaineds
little if any OF the prestige he lost
wEe1i knocked out by Dempsey last
year.
In. the face of SO indecisive and
unsatisfactory bout between two
of the top ranking contenderS, it
appears probable that considerably.
more eliminating will be in order
before another opponent is selected
for Tunney
MAIDS ON SQUARE GARDEN,
Sharkey silent sailor from Boston, re-
turned to the ring after six months
absence tonight to face Tom Heeney,
New.Zealand champion, in 12-round
match that may decide Gene Tunney's
next heavyweight challenger. Sharkey,
heavy favorite, scaled 1914 pounds.
- --------o
Back as Well as Front
in fact, throughout-th