The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-01-16
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Greg. U. s. Pat. Off.)
BY JACK GUENTHER

New York, Jan. 16-CUP)-Ray
Robinson, a Harlem hepcat who
combines the better features of an
adagio dancer and Calling gun
in a personal blend Of jumping
1--WE, faces Fritzie Zivic tonight in
quest of his 116th straight ring tri-
umph and In his own odd Language
says he intends to crown the Steel
City Ickie eight to the bar with
a few grooved riffs.
If you don't dig swing chatter, the
loose -limbed Negro youngster means,
In effect, that he will abandon his
fancy Dan technique and give out
with the socko. He hopes to play
"Nola" once over lightly on the
Civic features then apply the
chloroform with both hands. If the
performance Is success, count him
in as the next welterweight cham
pion.
Robinson, an incorrigible swing
fatatic, is q 81 year old lad who
has fought up from the amateur
ranks in little more than a year and
Is the only front line pugilist in
circulation who has never been
beaten or even held to draw
Sugah, as he Is known to his init
mates, has won SO bouts as an anna
teur and 20 more as a professional
--83 of them by knockouts.
Undecided
He has made habit of celebrating
each victory by buying few more
photograph records to add to an
amazing hot jazz collection. His
emotions are mixed on the subject
of boxing and swing. He still can't
decide whether the welter crown Is
more important than hot Louis
Armstrong trumpet solo, but is being
convinced that the former is a
means to the latter.
He has beaten some good men,
some bad ones and plenty of indif-
ferent ones, but in his rapid climb
has scored notable victories over such
personages as Max Shapiro, Pete
Lello, lightweight champion Sammy
Angott and Zivic. He shaded Civic
several months ago by inspiring
himself to late rally which earned
him the necessary points.
Tonight he hopes to make good IN
his first bout over the 10-round limit
by knocking Zivic out. The fiesta
at Madison Square Garden has been
scheduled for IL rounds and the
winner has been promised an eve
ming Of entertainment with the cur
rent welter king, Freddie Cochrane,
a few weeks hence. If Sugah is a
worthy prophet, he'll be plenty sweet
tonight.
"A bunch of cats will gang In to
watch this boy swing out with the
solid stuff" he explains. In what
must be f1gurative fashion. II gotta
jam plenty and beat the skin, but
quick. I'm going out there In real
eightq- Fighter style, and once I'm
in the groove you watch the hot
ticks. 1T uVrn W 5cnlnarr2 uon,snc-,
the stuff is going to be mellow"
These words merely form an am
plification of Robinson's original
statement. That Is, he is concen-
trating on punch at the expense Of
fanciful footwork, and that for once
he Is going to leave his tap dancing
technique In the dressing room be-
hind him. Civic has received these
tidings happily, saying simply that
II Robinson wants to slug, he, Zivic,
Is more than willing.
Up and Down
The boys on Jacobs beach have
analysed this as a fight between a
boy who Is on the rise and one who
is on the decline. Robinson appar-
emily has gained skill with every
successive appearance while Civic, In
his most recent bouts, has been un-
able to untrack himself. The odds,
as such go, favor Sugah at 2-1 and
are mainly based on his previous
victory.
If Civic Is himself, he may make
a sucker Of the wise money crowd.
Fritzie Is tough cookie. even a dog
biscuit when the occasion is right,
and he never has been beaten easily
since he broke into the big time.
But he Is 20 and he has fought
countless times. Certainly he isn't
getting any faster or stronger and
his punches aren't any sharper.
Robinson, on the other hand, is
just as sweet as his name of Sugah.
He Is one OF the fastest and clever
est lighter men In boxing today and
he has q solid rhythm section In
either hand. AS well, he has the
happy knack Of being able to punch,
and hard, even when poised on only
one foot. 1t might be pertinent to
remark here that the records he'll
buy II he wins tonight already have
been selected-and there are no
blues numbers among them.