Evening star., 1936-12-30
BEN|TEz, PLEASURE
LOVER, ACE IN RING
Coach La Fond's Problem Is
to Get Puerto Rican to
Train Seriously.
BY BURTON HAWKINS.

r. EDDIE LA FOND, who tutors
- Catholic University's boxing
squad in the art Of taking a
~ punch and giving two in re-
turn-he hopes-has q problem child
on his hands.
Rene Benitez, a pleasure-loving,
wealthy, Puerto Rican lightweight,
who loves to fight but abhors the stiff
training sessions that La Fond deems
necessary for his flstic development, IS
the Cardinal question mark.
It seems Rene, fairly smooth with
the gloves, also is polished in the
various phases of social life. To date
the good-looking, slender but we'll
built lad has scored more decisions
socially than in the ring. La Fond
has hopes of reversing the ratio.
Benitez first attracted La Fond's at
tention last year when he won the
extra mural lightweight championship
in competition with Maryland and
Georgetown. Possessor of a rather au-
thoritative left hand, Rene captured
the title despite the handicap of little
or no training.
Doesn't Like to Train.
WHEN Eddie asked Rene to turn out
for the varsity team this year,
Benitez wrinkled his dark brow and,
after due consideration, countered, 20.
K, fight for you, but I no train"
La Fond finally persuaded him the
conditioning grind was beneficial, and
20 Rene was among those present
when the Cardinal coach issued call
for ring candidates.
Thus far Rene has responded fair
y well and has kept in shape. His
long, sleek automobile no longer is
decorated with feminine pulchritude.
His pudgy wallet hasn't been made
thinner by peeling off greenbacks in
night clubs lately. But Rene now is
facing the acid test.
Rene is spending his Christmas va
cation by motoring to Miami and then
flying to Havana. La Fond is using
the holiday period to train a handful
OF candidates who didn t go home,
but in his spare moments he wonders
just what kind of shape Benitiz will
be in when he returns. Eddie needs
him in that 135-pound division, but
he wouldn't pamper him.
Refuses to Show Anger.
EDDIE also is faced with a knotty
problem in Ferd Rogers, nee Ry-
dzewski, and Leo Katalinas, who will
hold down the light-heavyweight and
heavyweight berths, respectively, if
Rogers makes the 175-pound weight
limit. La Fond is mad because neithes
Rogers nor Katalinas will bet mad in
sparring sessions. Apparently they
have a peace pact.
Ferd and Leo are buddies. They
dance around lot, feint and pull
their punches in sparring drills against
each other. Marty Gallagher, the pc
xennial pride of Foggy Bottom, has
promised Eddie he will spar with
both Of them. Maybe they'll wish
they hadn't carried their friendship
into the ring.
Should Rogers fail to make the
weight, La Fond probably will alter
nate him with Katalinas in the heavy
weight division. Rogers Is the better
boxer, but Leo's showmanship and
chilling punches rate consideration,
Bunsa an Ardent Ringman,
THE 145-pound assignment virtu-
- ally has been clinched by Fred
Mix, while Dave Bernstein, lis; Tex
Guinan. 125; Joe Bunsa, 155, and
6ully Greco, 165, are ahead in their
respective divisions now. OF the en-
tire squad Bunsa probably is the most
devoted to the fstic sport. He trains
faithfully and there are few profess
sionals in this sector who can main
tain his pace on light bag.
Should Benetiz fail to continue to
take his boxing seriously, Nestor Mar
tinez probably will grab the 135-pound
Job. Ray Turner, 165, and Frank Cor
man, Ed Dunn and Charley Carvelas,
175-pounders, are other likely can
didates.
La Fond, who captained Catholic
Oniversity's first boxing team in 1924,
enters his sixth season as coach there
faced with the toughest scheduled in
Cardinal fighting history. He says
$3.50 break will satisfy him against
these clubs: January 9, North Caro-
lima State; 16, Duke; %, Carnegie
Tech; 80, Army at West Point; Feb
ruary s, Pittsburgh; II. Western
Maryland: 20. Maryland at College
Dark