The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-03-13
Greg. u. s. Pat. on
BY JACK GUENTHER

UNITED Press staff Correspondent
New York, March 13-(UP)-The
distance between Hells Kitchen and
Madison Square Garden is only four
blocks-unless you are boy start
ing out as q prizefighter. Then 1t
Is q million miles. Hundreds of
tough kids with quick fists and
hungry faces have tried to bridge
the gap In the past. Out of the lot,
not more than five or six have sue
ceeded.
There was Joe Lynch and Frank
Genaro and Pete Scalzo and Johnny
Dundee. Now there Is Johnny Colan.
He has been fighting and pushing
his way forward for Ave years to
cover those four blocks that separ-
ate the towns toughest tenement
district and Its boxinfl mecca. To-
night his travels end. For tonight
he meets Jimmy Webb In a Garden
main event.
It sound very simple. Yesterday
Colan was a street Arab, today he Is
boxer whose name will be wired
to every town in America and to-
morrow he may be light heavy
weight champion. II he whips
Webb tonight he gets the champion
next. Yes, 1t sounds simple. But
Is isn't. Johnny hasn't gone a mil
lion miles to reach the Garden, put
he has gone 10000.
SparTlng Partner
Johnny was discovered by Paul
Damski in q little gym three years
ago. He was a scrawny kid Of 1874
pounds then, trying TO fights as an
amateur and not having much luck.
He was rustllng around as o spar
ring partner and a few days before
Damski found him he had been
beaten thoroughly in training by
Ernie Vigh, an experienced profes"
sional.
Johnny was driving q. bakery
wagon when he wasn't In the gym.
He earned SIS o week. That ISN'T
much but 1t was all the family had.
His father was sick and his two
brothers couldn't find work. The
family lived In HellS Kitchen IN q
S25 a month apartment. There was
never enough food and there was
no money for medicine. John and
his mother were the only support.
Damsisi took Colan IN tow and
he started to grow. He had hardly
started his career when he became
welterweight. He won eight OF
his first 10 fights and in 1910 he
won 10 OF IS. Damski was manag-
ing Gunnar Barlund then and he
cot Johnny a spot on the Barlui1d-
Billy Conn card In Chicago.
There Is O. turning point in
every life and this bout was Colan's.
He won by a knockout In 80 seconds
and he became hot stuff. In the
next six months he fought In Chi
cago five times, won every start
by a knock -out, rose to guararl-
tee OF $4,000 and acquired q reputa-
ton. Some Of his opponents were
obscure, sure, but two OF them
weren't.
one was steve Mamakos. The
other was Trnie Vigh. Before he
fought CoIan, Vigh told reporters
he could name his round. Johnny,
ne said, was Just q punk he had
kicked around before and could kick
around again. What Vigh didn't
know was that Johnny was sitting
In q dressing room on the other
side Of the wall and heard every
word.
Johnny went into the ring and
showed no mercy. He was mad.
He talked to Vigh during the bout
and ii1sulted him and smashed him
at will In the eighth round he
knocked him out. That was his
biggest triumph and he was COM
ing fast. Then he ran into Tommy
Tucker and his eye was cut so
badly that nine stitches were
needed to sew II back together.
Drew with Webb
The eye put him on the sideliYea
for months. II appeared that
Johnny's hopes were dead-that he
never could be q FIRST rate fighter
again. But Damski finally match
Cd him with Webb for an eight
rounder. It was q beauty, that
fight. Johnny was afraid OF his eye
In the early rounds but he came
back with q smashing rally for 6
draw.
The action was 20 fast that 49,
900 people were on their feet for
minutes alta o time. Out Of the
bout grew tonlght's main event and
the dream OF Johnny's life. And
while II may be Friday the lsth'
don't Try TO tell Johnny that 1t Il
q jinx day. TO him, It Is the day
he has been awaiting for Ave years
and the end Of q long, long hike.
Johnny viii earn 5000 tonight
and he Is barely 70 years old. Te