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.-(Ry-It may be
gathered that the situation has se-
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 az
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.
1 you can rest assured that contest will
take place and with no other OPP
ponent than Tom Hecney who has
proved his right TO match BY his rec
ord Of victories since his arrival in
this country eighteen months ago.
Story he il 10 be replaced BY Sharkey
ridiculous as Sharkey is by virtue or
his defeat at the hands Of RiskO
eliminated"
This appears TO make IL unanimous.
Richard and Tunney both have made
il clear there will be a fight az the
Yankee stadium for the heavyweight
title on the night Of July 26, top
price $40 including the tax Of 25
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 even il IL does not drive them
entirely to cover.
Farley Not Enthused
Whether or not any plot" II in
volved. is something else. There is
a chance for the fistic sleuths here.
II is not clear TO observers, however,
just how the plotters, il 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 conven-
ton. 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 10 do is stand UP
and feed him one-two punches 70 the
head. The match, / think. would
have been a better one had Risko or
Sharkey been selected TO fight the
champion.
: "Wc don't expect the gate to 70 as
high as 81, 100000"
This is not calculated 70 arous the
enthusiasm Of either Richard or Tun-
ney. The promoter expects a gate OF
81 800 1000 and the champion has no
idea that Heeney will be a set-up. II
will take the developments OF the
night of July &c to determine this.