The Washington times., 1938-07-28
NEDOMATSKY co.
WITH MAMAKOS.
ExCITES FANS
By BOB ADDIE

The old ballyhoo drums are be-
ginning to beat white-hot and by
the time next Monday night rolls
around the interest should be
high enough to excite the pres
ence of several members of our
War Department who will want
to know what the shooting is
about.
Steve Mamakos is matched to
box eight rounds with Ivan Nedo-
matsky. These are the simple
facts of the case. But behind the
welter of denominations, charges
of runout and other chubby
phrases, this fight looms on paper
as a real grudge battle, and, as the
boys in the back room say, war.
BACKED BY FACTS
This is one bout that should
be a grudge battle-unless the
boys are spoofing. You can't be
naive enough to believe all these
"grudge" affairs that are waged
in this business, but here's onel
that is backed by facts.
NedomatSky and Mamakos were
originally scheduled to box a cou-
pie of months ago. The day before
the bout, VANS manager declared
his boy had bad hand and the
contest was called off. Matt
Twomey, Mamakos' pilot, immedl.
ately screamed "runout" and
harsh words were thicker than the
unlimited insects at these solrees
of swat.
The boxing fraternity whispered
that Nedomatsky didn't have too
much heart but this brought an
angry denial from several Univer-
sity of Maryland students. Where
do they fit in, you ask? All, the
plot thickens. Ivan is perhaps one
of the greatest college boxers ever
developed and he learned it all at
the College Park institution.
Opponents used to tremble when
Nedo walked into the ring because
he was-and still is-a better. He
punched those college kids out
with one swipe and because of his
string of knockoutS was hated and
feared all over the brains circuit.
Came graduation, and, finding
his ambition to pursue medical
career stymied by lack of funds,
Ivan turned to professional boxing.
The same aneSthetic that chilled
the collegians worked on the pros.
A punch on the lug has no class
distinction.
Ivan is from Baltimore and
Steve is a naUlve son here. Now,
the neighborhood rivalry enters
into the picture. If there's any,
thing a Washingtonian dislikeS
more than a guy who lives in
Baltimore, it is the plural of the
same. Nobody knows why this is,
but that's the situation.
The unsuitable Mamakos has
been plodding steadily, if un
Spectacularly, to the top. He has
met the stiffest punchers among
the younger crop and none has
been able to flatten Steve. The
Greek seems to be made of iron
and courage. He has never learned
the meaning of retreat and keeps
throwing punches every second.
If Nedo hasn't the heart, Steve
will chase him right out of that
ring.
PRAISE FROM REILLY
Ivan has the punch but he may
as we'll try to Delt over the Wash
ington Monument as try to knock
out Mamakos. The latter, by the
way, isn't the creampuff hitter a
lot of people think he is. Pete
Reilly, a shreWd judge of fighting
flesh, said only last week that if
he had the pick of the local crop
he'd take MamakoS.
Keep him away from boxers
and that boy will make
fortune" Pete said. Don't
think he can't punch because
Emil Calcagni (Steve's last op-
ponent) said Mamakos hits
harder than anybody he's ever
met-and Emil has met moth
ing but punchers.
The tipofr IN what the fans
think of this fight is the ripple
of excitement and applause that
greeted the announcement of the
bout at last Tuesdays show. The
public likes these wars. Who