The Washington times., 1931-07-25
COB A MONEY
MAKER, SAYS
JOHNSTON
BY JAMES L. KILGALLEN

today, in spite Of his d1scred1t-
able showing against Mickey
Walker.
Let the boxing experts rave.
let them call Sharkey a mug"
scOrnfully declared Johnston.
"He's no mug to me. He's the
biggest attraction in the busi-
ness. who can Outdraw him?
"Why, Sharkey already has
drawn into the bOxOffices about
S4,OOO,OOO. And the end Is not
yet. I'm going to put him in
against Tommy LOughran next
month and against Primo Car
nera in September. Maybe
he'll fight his way back to a
match with Max Schmeling
next summer.
"Say this fellow Sharkey Is
money maker. The best
pugilistic attraction since Jack
Dempsey"
Johnston is nobody's fool. No
body in the country has a
shrewder knowledge of the beak
busting business. It was Jimmy
who conceived the idea Of bring
ing Sharkey and Walker together.
Jimmy used to be a fighter him.
self and since he took off the
gloves he managed many fighters,
including Ted C'Kid"O Lewis,
once world welterweight cham
pion, Jem Driscoll of England,
Pete Latzo and Phil Scott. Be-
cause of his promotorial ability
they are now referring to Johns
ton as "a second Tex Rickard.'
Warming up to his defense Of
the maligned Sharkey, Johnston
said:
"This fellow Sharkey has
color, ring magnetism. Many
people think he's a great
fighter and like to see him go;
others turn out to see him
licked. The public gets bang
out of his fights. Invariably
he puts on a show, win or lose.
Always there is something to
talk about after a Sharkey
fight.
"He has more appeal to the
public than any man since
Dempsey. Look at the gates
Sharkey has drawn! Against
Jack Dempsey he drew over
S1,OOO,OOO. Against Jimmy Ma
lOney after whipping him three
or four time he drew $232,OOO.
"Sharkey fought Tommy
LOughran, whom I regard as
one of the worst pugiIistic at
fractions in the heavyweight
division. and drew S25O,OOO.
Against Young Stribling in
Miami Sharkey drew S45O,OOO.
Go back to two years ago
when I was managing Phil
Scott, the EngliShman. Didn't
all the experts advise the pub
lie to stay away from that fight
that Scott was a blOOmer?
Well, Sharkey drew 100000
down in Miami against Scott"
Johnston was just getting
started. He came down to the
Sharkey-Walker bout of the other
night at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.
why, there was the over.
stuffed Walker who had been
whipped by Joe Dundee and
Pete LatzO," was the way
johnson put it. "Some people
didn't think Walker against
Sharkey would draw $4,000
when first suggested it. Well,
the fight crossed S225,O Put
Sharkey back in there in a re-
turn match and you'd have
another big gate.
"Pay no attention to these
sports writer's who are sore be-
cause Sharkey didn't come
through and make good their
predictions that Sharkey would
win by a mile. They've got to
aIibi and the way they do it
Is to roast Sharkey.
"Get me right. I don't be-
live Sharkey ever will be the
heavyweight champion of the
world, even though he may
eventually get a crack at the
title. There is something about
Sharkey that goes blOOie at
critical moments. 1 guess the
highbrOwS would say its a COM
plex. I will say this, however,
in spite Of Sharkey's bad show
ing against Walker I think the
sailor is the best heavyweight
fighter in the business today"
Better than Schmeling?" he
was asked.
Eyes, better than SchmeIing,"
Johnston fired back. "He is a
better fighter, a better boxer
and he's more experienced. The
only edge I'd give Schmeling
is that perhaps he's got a bet
ter noodle"
AS a parting question, Mr..
Johnston was asked if he really
believed that Sharkey right now
is better attraction than
Schmeling, the champion. or Car
nera. the Snowman.
eyes, EN- p h a t c ally yes,"
rOared Johnston.