Evening star., 1932-03-18
RAMAGE ON TRIAL
BATTLING HAMAS
Anything May Happen When
Two Dangerous Young
Fighters Clash.
BY SPARROW McGANN.

M Ramage is the new heavy
weight champion of Cali
fornia. State titles do not
mean much as a general rule, but
when the Golden State is men
toned in the line of heavies
memories of James j. Corbett and
Jim Jeffries come to mind.
California thought it had a
champion in Armand Emanuel.
He fell by the wayside.
Then came Max Baer, who, however,
was not born in California But Max
just does not seem to care for local
honors, preferring to hold out for his
own idea of what he is worth and
selecting opponents, as his refusal to
fight Hans Birkie indicates.
Ramage scored a whacking good VIC
tory over Ace Hudkins to grab the State
crown. The latter may be the bad boy
of the ring, but that does not dim the
fine fighting qualities he possesses.
Within the last year he was good
enough to beat King Levinsky and
dynamite Jackson, and that is some
thing.
THE manner in which Ramage trim
l. med Hudkins has caused experts
to check up on the new heavyweight
star. He is a product of his local high
school team, which produced such bril-
liant stars as Brick Muller, Russ
Saunders and many others who have
shone on the gridiron for the University
of Southern California.
Lee went out for base ball and made
the varsity, playing the keystone sack.
He took up amateur boxing and won
the State middleweigl1t and light heavy
weight titles in successive years. Picking
up weight, he turned pro and in 90
starts scored IA knockouts. He was
beaten 3 times, but these decisions he
later reversed. His victory over Hudkins
was the turning point in his career and,
according to his manager, Lee is now
ready for bigger and better game
That may be SO and then again it
may not. Ramage's next fight will take
place March 26 and his opponent will
be Steve Hamas. This is enough to
make anybody think twice before tagging
Ramage as a sure conner.
HAMAS, an fastener, started of in
L i California, and his crushing knock
out of Tommy Loughran, a feat
accomplished by only one other man,
Jack Sharkey, places him among the
real punchers of the ring. Sending
standing in his thirtieth start makes
it look like the youngster is mishandled
or is out to grab all the money he can
in the shortest time I)OSSible
Unlike lighter men, heavyweightS must
be brought along gradually. No matter
how big man is, the human body will
only stand up against certain amount
of punishment The big fellows punch
too hard to assimilate punishment regu-
larly and breakdown is bound to oc-
cur. This has been proved time and
time again. Any manage who knows
the least bit about the boxing game will
go slowly and nurse big fellow along.
Hamas has had twice as many fights
as Ramage. 1t is true that most of his
fights have ended in short order. This
can be accounted for by the shrewd
matchmaking of his handler and the
power Of his wallop.
NIHEN two youngsters like Hamas and
Wv Ramage come together, anything is
likely to happen, because both are
geared in high and aiming for bigger
things. HamaS has the advantage of
his opponent in that he has been bet
ter Schooled, and unless Ramage is
better natural fighter he is due for
terrific beating. This may mean his
finish, as the San Diego boy is game to
the core. His jaw was broken in the
third round of one of his earlier fights
and he would not quit. The referee
was forced to stop the bout. Hamas is
of the same mold.
1t is unfortunate that two such young
sters should be matched, because Moth
ing is to be gained other than the purse.
Considering the amount at stake, no
good purpose will be served.
Los Angeles will be the scene of the
battle The fans will be the winners,
as it is taken for granted the battlers
will tear in and slug it out while there
is a breath left in their bodies. If RAM
age is able to beat Hamas, Californians
may we'll look forward to another native
son as heavyweight champion.