The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-12-07

SY JACh CUDDX
Omitted Press Staff Correspondent
New York, Dec. 7.-(UP)-Larry
Atkins of Cleveland, Americas Sec
ond ranking prizefight promoter, be-
lieves that Lee @. Murray, big Con-
necticut Negro, is the most dam
gerous potential threat to Sgt. Joe
Louis heavyweight crown.
IF the war Wuz to end tomor-
row." says Promoter Atkins, I'D say
the man most likely to lick Louis
wuz Lee Q. Murray"
This Atkins praise of Murray was
SO entirely unexpected that a
startled reported inquired of the
visiting Cleveland entrepeneur last
night, chow come you boost Murray.
when he almost ruined Jimmy Biv-
ms, your meal ticket, last week?"
Atkins, a youngiSh, broad-shoul-
| dered, black-haired chap of Al, fixed
the reporter with steely eyes, and
demonstrated, "in our Cleveland
promotions. we have no meal tick
cts. We have cards A Cleveland
fighter is card as long as he can
lick anybody we bring in. When
he loses to an outsider, the OUT
slider becomes the card"
In the case of Murray VS. card"
Bivins of Cleveland, Promoter Atkins
was doubly fortunate. Little Bivins
won an unpopular 10-round decision
over Murray last night, after MUIR
ray had the Cleveland Negro statg-
gering about the ring and dripping
with gore. The fans booed the de-
cision SO long and so Justify that a
re-match was as necessary as If by
royal command. They'll tangle
again in late February-after both
principals recover from their
wounds.
Atkins, who in four short years
changed Cleveland from one of the
country'S worst fight cities into a
promoters paradise, said, II knew
Murray was a good fighter when
matched him with Bivins. But
during the first two rounds, I
thought Murray would ruin me.
He never let loose with a punch.
Disgustedly, I left my seat at the
rlngside and walked to the rear Of
the arena. But Murray was Just
housekeeping his man. He knew
BlvinS was cutie, and he was suck
ing him in. Bivins left himself
open in the third round, and Muir.
ray hit him. Bivins rolled with
that right-hand punch to the chin:
but the force was so terrific that
Bivins wasn't the same for the rest
of the fight.
Murray hit him so hard over the
left brow in the sixth round that
you could have stuck your thumb
in the cut; but Bivins Is not the
duration heavyweight champ for
nothing. He managed to out-smart
Murray for the distance; and I
honestly thought he won the fight:
although it didn't matter to me who
won - as if I had Murray tied
up on contract, too."
Atkins, who drew $360,000 with his
Cleveland bouts in 1912, and who
has provided bouts that drew $413,-
900 this year, concluded, II don't
know whether little Bivins, who
weighs only about 1877 pounds, or
Murray, who has 200 on Six-ffot two
frame, is the better fighter. But
Murray is the most dangerous. He's
the most terrific puncher ever
saw; he hits as hard as Louis. He's
still little acknowledging q con-
verified southpaw. But being q
converted southpaw makes him Q
switch hitter, who can knock you
dead with either hand. And he's
only 49,
Atkins, in New York on q BUSH
ness trip, said it seemed like o
dream that he an understudy
to Mike Jacobs should have the
two best civilian heavyweights In
the world tied up on contracts. He
hoped he still had q contract on
Murray when Sergeant Louis got