The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-03-13
Red Sox In Tough Shape Despite Return OF Sugger william
Gallon and Webb
TANGLE AGAIN
IN G ARDEN RING
Winner Tonight May Get
Chance to Win us.
Pound Title

New York, March lS-The next
title opponent for Gus LesnevicI,
world light-heavyweight champion,
Is expected TO be determined at
Madison Square Garden tonight
when Johnny Colan, q product of
the HellS Kitchen section OF New
York, opposes Jimmy webb, Of
Houston, Texas, In contest schedA
uled for twelve rounds.
Exactly one month ago Colan and
Webb engaged in q hitterly-fought
eight-rounder In the Garden ring.
Boxing men still refer to that
match as the best light-heavy.
weight fight Of the season and one
Of the best IN several years. It was
o gruelling, free-punching encount-
er in which Webb Jumped OF to an
early lead only to have Colan over
take him after o few rounds. After
that It wa snip-and-tuck down 10
the end. The of1cialls called 1t q
draw.
SO exciting was that match that
O return bout was inevitable. -Four
additional rounds have been added
to the return match and 1t Is g
certainty that none Of the fans who
saw Colan and Webb In their initial
meeting will want TO miss the sec
ond.
Webb has one major advantage
over the New York lad: experience.
He has been fighting since 1885 and
though he has been forced to aban-
don ring activities from time to
time because Of various mishaps, he
has consistently fought stronger OPP
position than Colan.
Looked Good
The Texan, In fact, has been
close TO the. top on previous occa-
sions. A year ago he knocked out
Tommy Tucker In nine rounds at
the Garden and appeared ready
then for title opportunity. But
he injured his shoulder In training,
took q rest Of several months, nnd
then came back too soon, suffering
several reverses.
Another long rest followed, after
which Webb came back to display
all his earlier form. He thinks his
recent contest against Colan was
all he needed to bring him to top
shape and with that fight under
his belt figures he will be consid-
erably better tonight than he was
in To bout q month ago. Webb
had little difficulty getting down to
the ITS pounds required by the con-
trncta for toniphk's fiRht.
Colan Is q comparative newcomer
to the light-heavyweight ranks.
Most OF his fighting, since entering
the pros three years ago, was done
as Q middlewelght. But he put en-
weight and moved into the heavier
division where he now hopes to
acquire the championship.
A year ago Colan was rated q
promising preliminary lad in local
boxing circles. Then his manager,
Paul Damski, took him out to
Chicago. The change In atmos-
phere worked wonders with the
Hell's Kitchen kid. He clicked there
In sensational style, knocked out six
strong opponents in O row, and
moved right up near the top Of the
middleweight class.
But then he found he could not
make the weight limit for that class
and so he advanced to the light
heavies. New York fans who saw
Colan in his draw battle against
Webb recently were astonished by
the tremendous improvement he
showed.
Some boxing men think Colan is
the Understanding light-heavy since
Paul Berlenbach and 1t Is his
punching prowress which, they
think, will more than Offset any
advantage Webb may enjoy In the
matter Of experience.
Another highly attractive sup
porting program consisting of q
pair Of eight-rounders, o six-round-
er, and an opening four has been
arranged by Matchmaker Nat
Rogers.
Harkins vs. DeRuxza
In one OF the Fights, Wlckey
Harkins, who made q splendid iin-
preston defeating Tony Ferrara at
the Garden several weeks ago, re-
turns TO meet Pete DeRuzza, Ma
maroneck, N. Y. The second eight
brings together Make Shapiro, East
Side lightweight, and Nick Casti-
glione, Brooklyn-born 13S-pounder
who has been doing exceptionally
well In midwest rings, particularly
around Chicago.
George Kochan, flashy young
Akron, Ohio, welterweight, takes on
Johnny Cregan, Pittsburgh, in q
These two fought q
hard draw some weeks ago. The
opening four-rounder pairs Johnny
Dell, Brooklyn featherweight, and
Joe Aponte Torres, Puerto Rico.
Tickets for tonight's show ore
priced at Sl.15 general admission,
e250, $3.50. 400, and e5.76 for re-.
served seats.