Evening star., 1932-02-17

VI
Y fistiana have fallen into a
state in which customer
interest is almost non-existent
Though there are two claimants
of the f1yweight title, Midget VOL
gast and Young Perez, the 112-
Founders won't draw.
The bantamweight division is nearly
as bad. Now that Bat Battalino has
lost his battle with the scales, the
featherweight sector is rather lifeless
The middleweights have meant little
for years.
The task of the promoters is tc
breathe new life into those torpid
divisions. Two of the four l0-roupd
bouts in Madison Square Garden Fri
day night have been arranged with that
idea in mind.
Young Terry and Chick Devlin
hustling, bustling middleWeights, should
stage brawl that will convince those
who see it that middleweights worth
watching still exist.
Kid Francis of Italy and Lew Field
man of Brooklyn can do the whole
featherWeight class some good by put
ting on a thriller.
Syndicate Hurts Welters.
There is nothing wrong with the
welterWeight group, except at the top
There are several good cards among the
l47-pounderS, if only the title could be
Wrested from control of the syndicate
which has passed it back and forth for
years.
Eddie Ran and Billy Townsend, two
good journeymen 147-pounders, Will mix
in another of the Garden tens. Their
fight figures to be the most entertain
ing on the card. And there are others
like Billy Petrolle and Jimmy Nc
Larnin, to maintain interest in the 147-
Founders.
There are signs of revival in the
bantamweight sector. Emile (Spider)
Pladner. a doughty Frenchman who
works either as fyweight or bantam
has come over to stir up new interest
Right here in New YORK is boy, Lew
Farber, who seems to have what il
takes. Yet, strangely, Farber cannot
get break in his own back yard. In
the last II months Farber born and
bred in New York, has hoped into a
local ring only twice Once he went in
as a substitute on "a hours notice.
Arizmendi Highly Touted.
While on the subject of bantam
weights, a few words about Alberto
(Baby) Arizmendi are in order. Few
New York fans have heard of him. Yet
this lad an l8-year-old Mexican. Is
being touted on the West Coast as the
next champion of the 118-pounders.
A week or so ago Arizmendi caused
something of a sensation in Los Angeles
BY outfghting, outboXing and out
generating Speedy Dado, that good Fill
pino fighter, in 10 of the fastest rounds
ever seen in Jack Doyle's Olympic Audi
torium. putting the former flyweight
champion on his back in the course of
the argument.
That victory over Iabarba did not
prevent the wiseacres from making
Dado a heavy favorite over Arizmendi
when they went to war in Los Angeles
That battle put a bad dent in the
pocketbooks of the Filipino's admirers
Career Is Like Chocolates.
In some respects Arizmendi's career
to date is much like that Of Keed
Chocolate. The Mexican began boxing
at the age of 10 and has had he says
28O bouts. He claims he never ha.
been beaten or knocked off his feet
Chocolate started at about the same
age and had had more than 100 fights
before he came to New York to rise tc
fame.
Like Chocolate. who thought nothing
of spotting his early Havana opponent:
COB of weight, Arizmenoi boxed 112-
Founders when he scaled only 80 pound;
himself He still is willing to give away
weight. for he is booked to meet Manue
Pancho Villa for the Mexican light.
weight title in May.
Though Arizmendi is described as q
whirlWind fighter who accommodates
his style to the type of fighting his op-
ponent employs. he is said to have nc
love for the game. He says he never
studied boxing seriously. but just picked
it up He hates to train, but realize:
he must keep in shape and follows the
instructions of his handlers without E
nurmur.