Evening star., 1934-06-14
BEST ODDS MAKE
CHAMP P6-5 CHOICE.
Chances Held Great if He
Can Stave Off Max in
Early Rounds.
BY ALAN GOULD,
Associated Press SPORTS Editor.

N YEW YORK, June 14.-Con-
M vinced that anything can
" happen when Primo Car
4 nera and Max Baer start
swinging tonight in the sunken
arena built by the ex-million-
aires of Madison Square Gar
den, the fight clans staged an
old-fashioned rally today in an
ticipation of one of the most
fantastic fights ever waged for
the heavyweight championship
OF the world.
The turmoil of the big town, even
with the fleet in and warlike precau-
tions on all sides, was far cry from
those glamorous days of 1921, when
Tex Rickard convinced the faithful,
through the gentle art of the ballyhoo,
that Georges Carpenter had chance
to beat Jack Dempsey and attracted
10000 customers to see the slaughter
in historic Boyle's Thirty Acres, just
across the Hudson River in New Jer-
sey.
For one thing, times have changed
radically with the fistic business. For
has been overworked, but perhaps
$4,000 will cross another river to-
night in the direction of the Long
Island City Arena to see whether the
California ng-and-dance man can
topple the 260-pound Italian goliath
within the limit of IS rounds.
PROMOTERS, more optimistic than
confident, predicted $4,000 cash
customers would contribute to a
gate of nearly 100000. The proba-
could be trimmed off these figures
by the time the "box Office" was COM
pleted. Good weather was forecast,
however, and late rush anticipated.
The latest shift in betting odds to-
day found Carnera no better than
6-to-5 choice to retain the title he
won last year on a knockout from
Jack Sharkey and which he has
twice defended, with some difficulty,
against Pauline UZcudun, the old
Spanish woodchopper, and Tommy
Loughran, the Philadelphia boxing
maestro.
For various reasons, or for no rea-
son at all, sentiment has swung
sharply in the past few days to Baer.
Some of the direct causes have been
the suspicion that Carnera, bothered
by a sore throat, has passed the
peak of condition and likewise de-
veloped an appearance of nervous
ness that will do him no good if he
happens to bump his chin into a
couple of Baer's earnest right-hand
wallops.
Indirectly, a reaction in Baer's
favor followed the sensational charges
of Boxing Commissioner Bill Brown
that Max himself was in no shape
to 60 the route and that the bout
should have been postponed, out OF
fairness to those paying s25-and
more-for ringside seats.
DENDING the story that the Off
cial scales tell today, it ap-
peared Baer had whipped him.
self into as good fighting condition
as he ever will be, despite Browns
critical diagnosis, whereas Carnera
was the victim of carefully mapped
''goat-getting" campaign as well as
q number of minor ailments. 1t re-
manned to be seen whether the huge
italian could toss off those irritating
influences, capitalize his bulk and
muster the defensive ability to with
stand Baer's rushes.
Even Baer's most enthusiastic sup
porters from California, including
big delegation from the film colony,
conceded that the longer the bout
goes the better will be Cameras
chances of winning on points from
the curly-haired puncher. Baer, des-
pite record of being able to go the
distance in a mauling, free-swinging
fight, has not trained for a mara
thon. He must land the "crusher"
early, If at all. in his attempt to give
the heavyweight title back to
America.
The Californian comedies advantages
to Carnera in everything but reach,
confidence and punching power. AS
it happens these three factors have
been important enough to turn the
scales many times before with the
accent on the punch, and Baer's back
ers have not overlooked them in
figuring his chances for victory.
THE fight may not be a sell-out,
even though the best ringside
seats have been selling for as
high as SITS at spectators prices, but
it has attracted worldwide interest
to perhaps a greater extent than any
heavyweight title bout since the Tun-
ney-Dempsey days. Direct wires from
the ringside will carry the story
throughout this country as well as by
cable to Europe and all Latin Amer
lea, where the Italian has big fol-
lowing. 1t will also be broadcast by
a national IN. B. c. radio hookup.
Nearly 300 policemen were assigned
to special duty at the garden bowl
and elaborate precautions taken by
promoters to avoid the crashing" of
higher priced seats by the "bleacher"
customers. Ten thousand seats at
$3.50 each were to be put on sale late
this afternoon. The preliminary fights
at pd tho