New Britain herald., 1930-02-22
SUCCESS OF BOUT IS NOW DOUBTFUL
Sharkey Almost a ProhibitiYe
 FaY0lite Over Phil Scott

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 the combined efforts of the "600 millionaires" of Madison Square | Garden, the social enthusiasm and l ingenuity of the ballyhoo experts, it seemed today that the success of the second battle of the palms less than q week off, hung, in the balance. This involved the artistic as well as the commercial outcome of heavy weight flStiCuffS in a winter resort area that has perhaps q more diver sliicd sports activity than any other
 m the country. considering the
 rang" from dog-racing and jai alai
 10 roquc and lawn bowling.
 The expert task Of building up" this years venture was handicapped from the start by a lack Of popular enthusiasm for the chances of Phil
 Scott, the British champion. against the chief American heavyweight
 hope. Jack Sharkcy. This task has
 not been lightened by events here,
 what with Scott's workouts being
 featured at intervals by damaged
 finger, by being bounced off the can
 vas, or. as happened yesterday. out
 of the ring completely by I sparring
 partner.
 Jack SharkcN by contrast with
 this. has impressed the most un-
 biased critics as being in probably the best fighting condition and temperament of his career. The Bos- ton sailor after an in-and-out career seems 10 have found an incentive in the prospect Of gaining recognition as a worlds title holder by next summer. It has stimulated his work and frame of mind. As a result he stood today an almost prohibitivc favoritc 10 beat Scott A consensus Of expert opinion indicated belief he would win inside three or four rounds at the most. At the same time. the critics. by strange twist of reasoning. argued that Scott's chances Of winning. though outside at the best, will be considerably en- hanccd the longer the fight goes. This is based on the idea that Scott is q slow starter. unlikely to gain confidence until he has discovered himself still erect after six or seven rounds have passed.
 The gate" for the battle had not passed the $2oo,0G0 mark. with five days to go. and there appeared only an outside chance that it would come anywhere near the figure of $4@7.000 crossed for the StriblinG- SharkcN fight q year ago. The hest guess was that it might reach S&00,- . GOO although Frank J. Brucn, gen. cral manager of the Garden corpora tion, predicted without qualification | that the next few days would sec the turning point and a rapid ap- proach to the 1929 figures. His op- timism was not shared by the cx- ports.
 Barring accidents. not much 1. change in the advance dope" on the fight card as q whole is antici- patod. Serious work has been finish ed in all the camps. Most of the de- 1 bate has been concentrated on the | outcome of the semi final. between ! Nictorio Campolo and Johnny Risko. [ Tho experts will be disappointed if 1
 his fails to produce q flock Of thrills, 'anpolO rules the favoritc. but kis- ho never has been q "sct-up" and he stakes his fstic future in this bout. Unless he wins. 1t is the downhill ! 'oad for Johnny. The Tommy LouEhran-P Pierre Charles and Jim ny MaloncN- Noise Bouquillon bouts llso promise plenty of action,
 Tonight was the deadlinc for tho 'ection of referees, but this was not expected to develop any last minute hitch. Lou Magnolia of New York still topped the list as arbtcr or the main bout.
 Over the wecll-cnd several trains were expected 10 bring fans from 'hicago, Bost on. New York and other points, thus serving to help but there was no indica- ion of any scarcity Of tickets. no natter how heavy the influx of cus- omcrs.