Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-27

pretty boxer. Frequently he looks
as if he has little, except courage
and aggreSsiveness, yet he holds
decisions over some Of the best OF
them. He is not supposed to be
a very hard hitter, but he makes
an opponent think that it is rain
ing boxing gloves. Johnny hits
an opponent so often that it be-
comes most annoying.
Ever so often, they say that Risko
IS all through. Then he comes back
and ruins the social ring standing of
some prominent contender. He may
not be able to fight much, but mighty
few can trim him. At one time or an
other he has been given decisions over
Sharkey, Pauline. Won Porat, Scott,
Christner, Schaaf and Maloney.
It was the Indifferent showing
ShaTEey made against such opponents
as Risllo and Heeney which cost the
Boston man his chance to meet Tun-
ney. There was no good reason for
Sharkey'S poor showing in those en-
gagementS. The temperamental Boston
. man merely looked like a powerful
fighter who was too proud to fighter
too lazy. Sharkey always has looked
like a great fighter. The only thing
which, for a time, kept him back was
stirred to a certain mental and emo
tional condition to give his best.
Risko, on the other hand, always has
given the best he had. This Bohemian
doughnut moulder appears to enjoy
bouncing around an adversary and
throwing boxing gloves at him. If he
happened to be hitter. he would force
the promoters to take him very serious
~ indeed.
Johnny is not backward about pro-
claiming that Sharkey is afraid of him
and that Tunney sidestepped him for
Heeney because he thought Tom was
easier picking. extremely doubt the
first, and know the second is not
true. 1t happens that was the only
outsider present when Rickard and
Tunney agreed on Heeney, and they
took him because they hoped and be-
lieved Tom would draw more at the
gate.
What Tunney and Rickard were
chiefly interested in was the possible
receipts. Both were deeply disappoint-
ed over Dempsey's retirement and, If
Jack couldn't be induced to come back
and make another million-dollar gate.
Gene didn't care which of the others
he met. None of them appeared to be
Means Much to Tuffy.
But, II ,Risko beats Grifiths, he
certainly will have earned the right to
some attention. And, if Grif6ths can
stop Risko, he will be very prominent
young pugiliSt. The only man who
ever stopped Risko was Max Schmeling,
and, up to the moment when Johnny
forgot to duck, Max was having none
the better of the argument.
1t would mean lot to Tuffy to win
this argument. The chances are that
the youngSter has several years Of
improvement ahead of him, but a VIC
tory tonight would Immediately move
him up to position where neither
Jack Sharkey nor Max Schmeling could
long ignore him. Won Porat is the only
other boxer en- the way up who has
as good a chance in front Of him.
Schmeling must either 90 something
In the next year, or pass out Of the
picture. Sharkey. or the man who
beats Sharkey, is almost sure to be the
next accepted champion.
(coDyright. 1923, North American Newspaper
Alliance)
By the AsscGSated Press
NEW YORK, December 2T.-A Young
fellow b whom fighting has been in
etinctive since his parents named him
Gerald ArbroSe GrifithS goes to the
post in Madison Square Garden to-
OF water front fiSticuifs.
He has many scores to settle. The
nrst and foremost with Rubbery Johnny
Risko, the party of the second part in
ConightS 10-round heavyweight en-
broligio. The backgrounds of the re-
naming tsueS stretch all the way from
New York to Miami, Fla.
Gerald Ambrose, who fought for and
won the honorable title of 'Tuffy' at
an early age, still seeks satisfaction
from Risko for passage at arms won
IN Detroit last June when the bounc-
Ing Bohemian from Cleveland sank a
couple Of mittenS into foul portions of
Gerald'S anatomy. Risko is more than
eager to give him satisfaction, but
Grimths Is 7-to-5 favorite.
Risko Not Impressed.
Tuffy believes that he was winning
that fight, one Of his earliest engage
ments as heavyweight, when Risko's
artillery wandered south into forbidden
territory. Johnny thinks that Griffiths
Is just another one of those fighters
that he has poked in the body and
made TO holler foul"
But aside from the feeling between
the two, fluffy has two other important
points TO prove. He is anxious TO show
that he can fight as we'll as the faith
full believed he could before Jimmy
SdQQ6nSO debut
the Garden last year. Tuffy amazed the
wise gentry with his gymnatistic ability
became prohibitive favorite and was
promptly ironed out by Braddock in
two rounds.
Now Grifaths is eager to wipe on
that stain and prove his third point
that he is the only logical contender u
oppose Jack Sharkey in the SECOND
gathering OF the fight clans February 2
of "a o. fncfa "
Miami, Fla. If TufTy disposes of Risk
in workmanlike fashion the Garden ha
assured him it will look no farther 70
the Boston Gob's Southern playmate.
Risko, however, is just about tn
toughest proposition an ambitious
youngster can face in the heavyweight
ranks. Beaten often by second raters
the plump baker boy always manage
to come back and whip the tot
notcherS. He holds 15-round decision
over Jack Sharkey and has defeated Il
crucial engagements Jack Delaney
George Godfrey and Pauline Uzoudun
Only hair-line defeat by Tom Heene
prevented his facing Gene Tunney il
the heavyweight champions last It'll
defense.
Only twice has Risko been stopped
Chuck Virgins scored a technica
knockout over him years ego and Ma
Schmeling blasted him under in tn
Garden in a bout that brought fam
to the German for the first time
Johnny refuses to take the Schmelin
knockout seriously, as he claims he wa
in love az that time and his trainin
consisted only of a shave and hal
cut. He is careful to explain that h
Is not in love now and takes his train
ing more seriously.