Evening star., 1932-06-21
MAX'SCONS|STENCY
EARNS HIM MARGIN
In.and-0ut Record of Jack
Make 1t Very Difficult to
Appraise Him.
BY WILBUR WOOD,

/ Y heavyweight boxing cham
pion of the world, will risk
the title against Jack Sharkey of
Boston, American champion, in a
15-round bout in the new Madi-
son Square Garden bowl, in Long
Island City, tonight.
Along about $50 pm. eastern
standard time) Schmeling and Sharkey
will get down to the actual business OF
brawl that has been fought in ad-
vance by BARRIERS, bootleggers, butchers
and who not in their native haunts for
the last two years, or ever since the
German won the title from the former
Tar on foul on June IL, 1880, in the
final match of heavyweight elimina-
ton series to elect a successor to Gene
| Tunney, retired
If the show attracts gross gate OF
S400 900 every one will be happy, espe-
cially Schmeling. who is to collect 4212
| cents out Of every dollar net Sharkey
| Is to be paid off at the rate of dime
| on a dollar. While that may not
sound like so much. it is better than
many a bank depositor has Jared.
IDEsPITE the natural build-ur
- afforded the fight by the lurid
ending of the 1880 brawl, the
position to charge the ticket windows
until about a week ago. In fact, II
looked verv much like financial flop
But. as always, the lure of a heavy
weight championship fight finally made
itself felt, and as the box Office was
opened this morning Garden officials
figured they had sale Of about $780,
900. comprised of nearly 100000 in
cash and 100000 in gilt-edged reserva-
tions. The days sale should boost the
total to 100000.
There is considerable loose talk Of
wagers on the outcome, with Schmeling
the favorite at to or IL to l0, but
apparently little hard money has been
posted.
No heavyweight fight may be con-
sidered the genuine article unless there
is a certain amount Of in the bag" talk
| and this one is no exception The
5chmeling partiSans are doing the
talking. apparently being fearful that
because Schmeling is foreigner, box
ing on American soil with American
officials giving the verdict, he may get
a bit the worst Of it.
THE chief occupation Of the fight bugs
i today is, of course, picking the
winner. Let us look at the evi-
dence offered on behalf Of each gladi-
ator.
For Sharkey, it is set forth that he
has trained more assiduously than ever
before. That is true. He has labored
| for six weeks. 1t also is argued that he
at last has mastered himself; that he
will not be guilty OF one OF those out
breaks of temperament which have cost
him so dearly in the past. That Is ap-
parently true, though nobody can be
certain of that until it is all over.
Perhaps the strongest argument ad-
vanced for Sharkey is that he was win
ming his first fight with Schmeling until
the low punch ended it in the fourth
round. That is correct. The COB had
a slight edge in the first two rounds,
which were tame. He gave the German
beating in the third, but failed to
knock him down. In the fourth Schmel-
| ing showed surprising strength and ap-
peared to be coming on when hit low.
Likewise is it set forth that Sharkey
is better boxer than the champion.
/ II,
tai balance Jack also is said to be
hitting harder than formerly Prob
| ably he is, as he has sacrificed some OF
his speed in training to set himself
for punches.
THE argument for Schmeling Is
i largely a rebuttal Of the claims ad-
vanced in Sharkey's behalf. Those
who fancy the champion to retain the
title argue that Sharkey has had te
train harder because he IS older ano
slower ard has found it more difficult
to get rid of surplus flesh. Schmeiing
26 years old, is at his physical peak
He IS hard as nails. He will weigh
around 100, as against possibly 203 fol
Sharkey.
Schmeling's supporters do not have
to worry about any temperamenta
f1are-ups. The German is cold. me-
thodical, bulldog type, never undulI
alarmed If things go badly. or overly
enthusiastic If things break for him. 1r
a fight he may be relied upon to deliver
100 per cent Of what he has in stock
whereas Sharkey may contribute ,onl,
a fraction of his ability. In short
Schmeling must be beaten, whereas
Sharkey may beat himself, Schmeline
has only Sharkey to beat. SharkeN
NuSL COIlQueI UOlll llAiilScH dllo OCiuuel'
ing.
As to the last fight. Schmeling's pro.
ponents remark that it is unfair tC
Judge Max on the four rounds they
fought, inasmuch as the champion i
usually a slow starter. All fights are
not won by the man who piles up the
early lead. 1t may be pointed out that
Schmeling was trailing in the early
rounds of his fights with Risko, Pau
limo and Stribling, yet f1attened Riskc
and Stribling and cut Pauline to rib
bons In the closing frames.
CUNNING it all up, Schmeling has
- been a consistent winner; Sharkey
consistent in-and-outer, If that
paradox will be pardoned. Schmeline
is much the harder hitter. Sharkey is
the more clever boxer. Schmeling has
shown that he can take the best
Sharkey has In the way of a wallor
without going to the floor. Sharkey
has yet to feel the impact Of Max's
best punch.
Schme1ing today is immensely better
than when he faced Sharkey two years
| ago. The champion has shown good
straight left and short and devastat.
ing right. He has learned to box in
side and use uppercuts. He largely
has abandoned his useless weaving in
favor of a straight-up style.
Whether Sharkey is better. or even
as good as he was two years ago, re-
mains to be seen.
On the evidence adduced, Schmeling