The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-02-27
Sharkey Is FL Favorite
to Beat Stribling in Big
Florida Battle Tonight
Odds Mount Steadily on Boston Brser; SCrpps Howard
Newspapers Put Fight on Giant NBC Chain
Over Both Networks.
BY FRANK GETTY
United Press Sports Editor

MIAMI BEACH, Fla, Feb. 81
Tex Richards dream comes true to-
night.
A fashionable throng IN evening
dress or flannels and summer dnery
a crowd of nearly 10000, including
all those notables the late promoter
envisioned at the ringside of this
last of his great ventures III fight
promotion, will watch Jack Sharkey
of Boston and Young Stribling
pride of the southland, box ten
rounds to a decision.
Sharkey is heavy fayorite, with
the odds upon his chances of VIC
tory over the 1.-THE young southerner
mounting steadily towards 2 to L.
Jack should win this fight handily
although the hopes of the south are
pinned to the stout right arm OF
Stribling.
The south never has bred a heavy
weight champion, and the black
eyed youngster who has his most
important chance tonight promises
to give all he's got in his bid to
take this first big step upwards
towards the now vacant title.
May Reach 100000
Jack Dempsey, whose amazing de-
velopment in the role of promoter
has made possible the successful
elimination of the last fistic VEN
ture of his pal, Tex Rickard, said
this morning that the last minute
rush for tickets had swept the gate
receipts we'll up past the $35O,OOO
mark, and that the proceeds OF the
affair might approach 100000.
Fair weather is predicted for the
bout, but then fair weather always
is promised by Floridians. The main
event will start at o'clock INDIAN
apolis time), at which time it will
be broadcast by Scripps-HoWard
newspapers over the entire country
on hookup of the National Broad
casting Company, including both the
red and blue networks of stations.
Both fighters made final state
ments to the United Press today:
Sharkey-I'm in better shape for
this fight than ever before and can't
miss. If you'll look back over some
of the really good heavyweights I've
fought and beaten you'll figure for
yourself that Stribling is not in my
class. I'm making no special
promises about knocking him out. Tt
all depends upon him giving me a
fight, in which case I'll stop him so
quickly you'll be surprised.
Stribling-I would rather let my
work in the ring tonight do the
talking for me. I have been trying
to get Sharkey into the ring with
me for a long time. Tonight I'll
show you why he has been SO
reluctant to meet me, why he re-
fused to make the match until he
practically was driven into it by an
offer of 100000, whereas I was will
ing to fight for nothing.
Weigh in at $3.50
The Georgia boy was up early for
a little light exercise at daybreak,
then back to an easy chair for a
long rest, preserving his poundage.
The men will weigh in this after
noon at 2:30 at the Miami Beach
Kennel Club, when it viii be dis
closed that the Bostonian has a
weight advantage of some ten
pounds over his rival.
While Stribling is outWeighed, he
is rated as hard a hitter as Sharkey,
and the difference in weight may
not prove surmountable handicap
to the Georgian. But it certainly is
no help.