Evening star., 1940-03-09
The
SPORTLIGHT
Breuk for Sovold Seen
In Not Facing Pastor
BY GRANTLAND RICE,


Special Correspondent of The Star
MIAMI BEACH. Fla, March 9
(N.AN.A).-Primed for meeting
with Bob Pastor in New York. Lee
Savold, young Iowa heavyweight
was hurled back by illness. This
was a bad break for Mike Jacobs,
who had arranged the match with
the hope that the victor would
emerge as an acceptable opponent
for Joe Louis in June fight.
1t also was a bad break for Pas
tor, who ranked as 2-to-1 favor
lite, figured on earning third shot
at the champion and. win. lose or
draw. would have collected $4,000
for his end.
1t may have been bad break for
Savold, too. Catapulted into the
headlines by his quick knockout over
Jim Robinson some weeks ago, and
established overnight as one of the
leading contenders, a decisive vic
tory over Pastor would have meant
a short cut to his goal, which is a
match with the champion. l think
though, it might have been a good
break for him because don't think
he is ready for Louis.
He has not yet fought a main
bout on the big time, has gone 10
rounds only few times and may
not yet be gated for the 15-round
route. The shearing of 80 or 40
pounds from his frame during the
last year may have sapped his
stamina and another year of cam
paigning wouldn't do him any harm
Moroeer in No Hurry
To Rush SavoId.
His manager. Pinkie George. OBJ
viously feels the same way about it.
see that as soon as Savoid Is COM
pletely recovered from his attack of
influenza he is going on tour,
fighting wherever he can get
matches.
That is much better plan than
a headlong rush for Louis which, at
this stage of his development, might
have ruined him, just as it ruined
Jorge Brescia, Young heavyweight
from the Argentine. Brescia made
very good impression in early
bouts in this country but an avari-
cious manager threw him into a
ring with Louis long before he was
ready for such an adventure. The
result was that, gamely trading
punches with the Negro, he was
Knocked out in the third round and
never was any good thereafter.
Savold apparently is just climb
Ing toward his peak after a tor
turous journey. He has been beaten.
stopped and made to look very bad.
He was badly handled from the be-
ginning of his career until George
became his manager He seldom
was IN shape and twice he became
so discouraged he quit the ring.
Lees Early Coreer
Is Like Dempsey's.
For the first time he is making
progress. His knockout of Maurice
Strickland first attracted attention
to him, for Strickland, a punchless
heavyweight, but very clever one,
never had been knocked out before.
His Knockout of Robinson was i'm
pressive. not because Robinson is
any good, but because of the work
manlike manner in which it was
accomplished.
His career, however it NAV end, Is
not unlike-up to now-that of Jack
Dempsey.
Dempsey had his ups and downs.
He was beaten, knocked down and
abused. He was badly managed or,
trying to manage himself, was
cheated anyway. He, too, often was
out OF shape when he fought and
he had become discouraged and
quit when Jack Kearns ran across
him i'll San Francisco
At the time Dempsey and Kearns
hooked UP, Dempsey was as little
known as Savold was when George
took him out OF retirement-and
from behind a bar-in Minneapolis.
Heavyweight Moves Fast,
Once He Sturts.
He had fought through the tank
towns and, on his only visit to
New York. had appeared in a neigh
borhood club where, after two VIC
tories over fourth-rate fighters. he
had been soundly thrashed by John
Lester johnson, third-rater.
Yet within few months he was
being talked of, within a year he
was recognized as the leading con-
tender, and within two years he was
champion of the world.
1t is being proved again, in Sa-
vold's case as it was in the case
OF Dempsey, that when a heavy
weight starts to move, he moves
rapidly. One day nobody knows him
The next he is in the headlines.
Louis, of course, moved rapidly
from the very start. He didn't have
to weather the tribulations of the
average fighter but. by moving
down a dozen third and fourth
raters in a year or so, he attracted
attention. got the match with Primo
Carnera in New York, and became
world famous overnight by the man.
ner in which he butchered the man
who. only year before, had lost
the heavyweight title.
Savold never may beat Lbuis, but
ut present he is the best prospect
among the contenders. He is big.
fast, a good boxer and good
puncher and looks as though he
could take punch well,