The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-10-29
.RISKO-TAKES
BLOODY fight
FR0MBALSAMO
Quarles Batters Alvarez
About for Unanimous
Decision
By JACK CUDDY
United Press Staff Correspondent

NEW YORK, Oct. 20. (UP).-
In a primitive Pier 6 smuggling
match, handsome Babe Risko, for
mer middlcwcight champion, last
night scored stunning upset VIC
tory by winning a lO-round decl-
sion over Harry (Slambango) Bal:
samo, New York's sensational
knockout artist.
In the lO-round semi-fnal Chino
Alvarez, highly touted Tampa
lightweight, proved a distinct dis
appointment when beaten easily
BY Norment Quarles of Hender-
sonville. y. c. Quarlcs had the
Florida knockout artisan on the
floor in the first round for the
count of two and battered HIM
during the most of the remaining
sessions. He won the unanimous
decision. Quarles weighed LA
pounds; Alvarez 1912.
More than 5000 fans in the
Hippodrome saw rugged RlSko
win the unanimous decision that
tagged Balsamo with his first de-
feat after 20 straight victories
that included l6 knockouts.
After the first five furious and
bloody rounds, Risko won with
comparative ease. His smashing
body blows and terrific left hook
to the liver in the fourth round
which floorcd Harlem's betting
brakeman for no count, slowed
Balsamo to u walk.
The curly haired, Statuesque
Risko showed positive disdain for
the deadly right hand of Slam
bango. who had been hailed by
many of the experts as the new
Ketchell." Only once in the bout
was the lad who lost the l60-
pound crown to Freddie Steele last
summer in any great danger:
That was in the same fourth
session that saw Belsamo take the
lone knockdown Of the bout. Mid
way in that smuggling session, Bal
samo drove the babe toward I,
corner. tented to the body and
then nailed the former sailor boy
on the chin so hard with a rlgh'
that Risko staggered back into the
ropes. His mouthpiece went flying
onto the ring apron. Rlsko was
groggy, but experience came to
his rescue and he dove into a
clinch, holding on desperately un'
til his head cleared.
When Referee Arthur Donovan
pried them apart, Risko was IL
fair physical condition again anc
he started smashing away. AS Bal
samo sidestepped out of a corner
the Babe caught him Squareiy over
the liver. The blow spun Slam
, bango sideways and backwards to
the canvas. He was up without a
count and blazing away saVagel!
with both hands.
Those first five sessions brought
the fans yelling out of their seats,
The smuggling was as primitive ano
smashing as any seen IN a Ne"
York ring in years. Both were try
ing for quick knockouts-charg'
ing in and slamming away with
everything they had.
Slambango got cut on his fore
head in the first round and ms
nose and his mouth bled from the
second session on. His left brow
was gashed in the sixth. During
most of the bout, Balsamo was q
blood-smeared young man.
Judges Marty Monroe and Joe
Lynch and Referee Donovan voted
Risko the unanimous decision, and
according to the United Press
score sheet, Balsamo won only the
first and second rounds. In the
second round he staggered the
Babe with right, but the latter
was in no grave danger. RiskC
went to work on his 2l-year-old
less experienced opponent in the
third. He evaded Slambango's mad
rushes and drove booming hooks
| into the surprised New Workers
belly-now and then using slap
ping left jab to the face or a right
to the head.
The fourth was even but from
then on Risko marched to victory
although Balsamo gave him
plenty of opposition in the fifth
1t was apparent in the fifth that
the New Yorker, who never be-
fore had fought more than a six
rounder, was beginning to tire
from the terrific pace and the
body punching. He was game and
tried hard as the fight wore on
but in the closing sessions he was
floundering most of the time and
an easy target for the ex-gob.
Balsamo, who weighed 160 Ia
pounds, had been the 81 betting
favorite over the former cham
pion, who scaled l6l. Promoter
Mike Jacobs announced the gros.