Evening star., 1934-01-28
SQUATTY R|NGMEN
DON'T BOTHER RAY
Underdog Tomorrow Night
Cites Record Against
Freakish Fighters.
BY FRANCIS e. STAN.

I tive records it would seem
~ Matchmaker frankie
Mann has assigned Ray
Bowen a task just little too
tough in stocky Young Joe Firpo,
the Pennsgrove powerhouse. But
Bowen, eagerly awaiting tomor-
row nights scheduled 10-round
clash at Portner's Arena, says nix.
The last Of Washington's fighting
family will admit Firpo sports the claS-
sier record and has slugged it out with
better scroppers, but what has been
one Of Frpos chief assets in other
battle's-his freak builds what Bowen
is pinning his victory hopes on in his
latest attempt to crash the "big-time."
Some Of the best Junior welters and
welterweights in the business have
found Firpo too difficult to solve. The
New Jersey slugger stands less than 5
feet inches in height and his 142
pounds are distributed in freakish
fashion. From the waist up Firpo Is
heavyweight. His neck measures 1872
and though his arms are short and
heavy, he owns one Of the sneakiest
pair of pistons in the business. Most
lighters can't keep him away from their
body, where those short arms, once in
side, drum numerically.
Not so with him, oplneS Bowen. Ray
has been little shy Of unbeatable during
the last two years against lighters
shorter than himself.
Ray poison" to Squatty Foes.
n OOKING back over his record
against squatty scrappers. Ray. is
convinced Firpo Is made to order
tor him An underdog in most Of his
battles, Bowen has nailed to the mast
Henry Jancos, Freddy Haverlak, Tommy
Bashara, Pete De Angels, Lou Ray
mond and Roy Manley during the last
year or So All were shorter than Ray,
and, most of EN- were, like Flrpo,
kayo punchers.
Tomorrows fight looms as a great
chance for Bowen finally to establish
himself, for F1rpo's activities in the
last couple of years have earned him a
pational reputation. For some time
local promoters have been trying to get
Bowen to the top Fighters from the
lightweight class through the light
heavyweight division have been woefully
scarce in this bailiwick. Ray was one
of the handful who showed promise.
but each time he ran headlong into
hard luck-or stout shot to the chin.
Ray faced a great chance here not
long ago when he tackled Wesley
Ramey, one Of the crack lightweight
triumvirate which also includes Barney
Ross and Tony Canzoneri. But the
bout came at a time when Ray had
been idle for some months and conse-
uuently rusty At that, many contend
his fight with Ramey was his greatest
effort, though the Grand Rapids boxer
ttrutted of with the decision.
Bass Loser to Firpo.
CIRpO. rated highly among the
II country's welterweights, has
- kayoed Henry Perlick and Jimmy
Reed and won over Benny Bass. frankie
Hayes, Joey Costa. Sam Offerman.
Buster Brown and joey Harrison. He
drew with Pete Nebo and lost to Harry
Blitman, Tony Herrara and Tommy
Grogan, all near the top.
Johnny Mays, crack Fort Myer well
terweight, and Bobby Lowry. Northeast
Rloveslinger, have been rescheduled to
fight In the eight-round semi-flnal.
They originally were scheduled for last
week, but the nghC was postponed WLtu
Lowry contracted a cold Mays Is un-
defeated at Portner's and has numbered
among his victims Cary Wright, an
other local welter and stablemate OF
lowry.
In q trio of four-round prelims Joe
Green, former District amateur champ,
will oppose Earl Wise Of Baltimore,
Pete Buoniviri will tackle another
Oriole in Tony Coster, and Sailor NC.
Kenna will oppose Tom Rock, also OF
Baltimore.
"A SECOND successive title" setto,
~ involving Jim Browning against
\ any one of five leading con-
tenders, is planned by Promoter Joe
Turner for his next raSSling show, TO
be staged February 8. Part OF the
proceeds are to go to local charitable
Organization.
There will be no mat carnival this
week. The new auto prohles VIII be
exhibited to the gasping public. ana
There isn't enough room IN the WASH.
(ngton Auditorium for both autos ana
easslers.
Turner yesterday hoped train Tor
New York, where he will confer with
biQ-wigs Of the different mat factions.
Josephus confessed he will seek to I'M
port Ray Steele, Joe Malcewicz or
Georre Zaharias for Browning.