The Washington times., 1929-08-02
.HANPI0
N GREAT
FORM
Nv Sid Mercer

BY Sid Mercer
CHICAGO, aug. 2.-It
doesn't seem possible that
sammy Mandell can lose the
hop On his fast one or the
spring from his legs drying
out to make l35 pounds for
Tony Canzoneri today, and Il
he enters the ring at the
Chicago Stadium tonight as
keen and strong as he ap-
peared in his final gymnasium
drill yesterday his repulse of
the New York challenger
should be Just q breeze.
The Rockford sheik knows how to
beat the scales without weakening
himself. He is having less trouble
beating the lightweight limit now
than when he trained for Jimmy Nc.
LSrnin last summer.
Sammy abandoned his outdoor
training plant ana tapered off yester-
day at the Loop gymnasium, pre-
sided over by Dave Barry, the referee
Of .'long count fame.
He weighed 1884 pounds after the
Wednesday workout, and was close
70 135 after toiling for q half hour
yesterday. in heavy WOODEN trunks
and 4 sweat shirt. Sammy did no
boxing, but he rehearsed vigorously
with the skipping rope, on the light
and heavy bags and displayed
dazzling speed and agility in two
rounds of.shadow boxing.
Canz0neri never saw the day
he fRas rs fast as the champion
was yesterday.
SWEATING pff this last 5und OF
hard flesh brought MandeH down 20
far that the drying-out process did
not have to be severe. Sammy had
been In training nearly three weeks.
He couldn't have looked az strong
and fiaslly as he did yeatArda, IL
weight reducing had taken heavy
toll. ,
For his weight I'D inches, there il
no stronger fighter than Mandell in
the ring today He Is superbly
Inuscled hard d mai lis and his heft
il above waist. Thin flanks and
tapering legs support his splendid
torso.
None Of the current champions
can shoot left hands with the rapid
ity that Mandell displays when he
is tuned up. His jabbing and hook
ing remind you of the darting fangs
Of snake. And he is a fancy
stopper with 1t.
fn Sd -
doesn't figure to be a 3-to-1 favorite
over the miniature Babe Ruth, who
won't lose tonight for not trying.
No challenger OF Canzoneriss 8 proved
capabilities Is that far odtclassed by
a champion. But Tony will be fac
ing a great champion tonight. Man
dell Is Just beginning to be appre-
ciated in Chicago, where he won
his title and tonight is defending it
here for4.the first time.
The betting ON tOnight's
match is simply . reflection of
the general sentiment that Man.
dell is a greater champion than
CaIizO1leri Is a challenger. The
odds are mounting because there
Is little CanzOneri money show
ing.
II Tony had a quick knockout
punch he would be better supported.
As it is few can see him stopping
or outboxing Mandell in ten rounds.
As a bantam and featherweight
he scored his victories by rapid hit
ting and ability to take punch
and pay off with stinging counters.
His old-fashioned straight up boxing
style is refreshing because it is
unique in this era of bobbers and
weavSrs.
Canzoneri is the challenger. It
Ii up to him to carry the fight
to Mandell and he will undoubtedly
try to do so. But the consensus
Of expert opinion is that he won {
get anywhere.
Tony weighed around 133 after his
final training gestures yesterday.
At that poundage he isn't as trim
AZ the Canzoneri who was feather
weight champion.
As q lightweight Tony appears
pudgy. He is an inch shorter
than the champion, who has an
advantage of nearly two inches
in reach.
Though handled by Lou Fink, as
fine trainer as there is in the
land, Tony hasn't satisfied the
experts by his boxing methods.
They say he has trained as If lie
were going to meet a socker in.
stead Of stopper and that he has
adopted the wrong system in slam.
ming his sparring partners around.
The fight Is expected to set d
new Chicago record for indoor re
ceipts and attendance. The de.
mani for the, cheaper seats IL
heavy. Paddy Harmon estimates
that he could sell at least 50, ,0O0
tickets at 81 and S. II he had them.
Although the advance sale was
reported at $1l2.OO0 two days ago,
the net intake win hardly mount
to $160.000. the target set for this
match. Conservative estimates place
II in the neighborhood of 1926, 900.
hWfOmO hiIas /,