Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-30
POREDA ON TRIAL
IN CLASH TONIGHT
Young Heavy Meets Rubber
Man-0om Paul Wants
Some Ready Cash.
BY WILBUR WOOD.

N IE w 70 II *, March SU
M (CP.AD. - Johnny Risko
4 Y one Of the rings iron men
will box Stanley Poreda in
the main event in Madison Square
Garden tonight. Paul Berlenbach
another great old war horse, will
perform in a four-round prelim-
mary with Eddie Clark at the
Broadway Arena in Brooklyn to-
morrow night.
Risko is still a nain-event fighter
though he probably has absorbed more
punches in his seven years of steady
campaigning than any other active
gladiator. The rubber man is well
named. For years John has been
blocking punches with his chin, but he
is not walking on his heels-not yet.
Berlenbach's ease is different. Dom
Paul went up like rocket and came
down again just as fast. An amateur
wrestler in 1928, he was light heavy
weight boxing champion of the world
in 1925. His mighty left hook strewed
his path to the throne with knockouts.
Earned Half Million.
Two years later Berlenbach was
through. His chin did not stand up
like Risko's. Paul made a half million
dollars His friends advised him to
quit, but he hung on, the wreck Of a
once great fighter.
One of the most pitiful sights ever
unveiled for a boxing crowd was the
so-called fight between Berlenbach and
Larry Easteridge at the Greensboro
Stadium on May %, 1928. 1t went into
the books as a technical knockout by
Dom Paul in the seventh round. After
that affair the boxing commission de-
cided that neither would be allowed to
box again.
Berlenbach, the competitive urge still
strong in him, tried to break into pro-
feSsional wrestling. He was a failure.
He got fight in Jersey, but the COM
mission over there refused to let him
box. Now he finally has persuaded the
New York commission to let him try
his hand again. Dan Hickey, who
brought him from nowhere, is with him
again. Dan processes to believe that
time. He will find very few to agree
with him.
Fights for $40.
Berlenbach says he needs some ready
money. He is by no means broke. He
has the better part Of half q million
tied up in trust funds. But just now
he is pinched for cash. He viii get
$40 for his labor tomorrow night.
When Berlenbach was king Of the
175-pounders he dreamed Of going on
to win the heavyweight title. His first
venture into the heavyweight ranks
was a fight with Risko in the Garden
in 1925. It was q terrific smuggling
match. Risko won the decision.
Risko is not the fighter he was a
couple years ago, but nobody is knock
ing him out. Max Schmeling hattened
tha rubber man In savage battle in
the Garden in 1929. The German went
on 10 win the title. Since that night
nobody has Knocked out the rubber
man.
If Poreda stops Risko, the Jersey City
youngster will consider 1t an Oman that
he is marked by destiny to mount the
Right now Poreda looks like the best
bet among the younger heaviss. But it
Is by no means beyond the realm of
probability that Risko viii give him
setback.
Ths Risko-P oreda match viii be a
struggle between rough, rushing slug
ger and sf1arp-shooting boxer, with
Toreda in the latter role.
Promoters in Farley.
The sponsors Of the Schmeling-
Stribling fight will get down to cases
at a conference in Excelsior Springs,
No, this week. The fight is slated for
late in June, but so far no site has
been named. Chicago would appear TO
be the best spot, but there is so much
opposition there from the Chicago
Stadium and its friends that the big
show may not land there. Cleveland
and Detroit are going to make bids
for ii.