The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-06-03
WRIGHT WON'T
SIGN UNTIL pep
MEETS BARTOLO
2 Champs, Several Con-
tenders Recognized; Wis.,
Cusi in Drivers Seat
BY JACK FROST
UNITED Press Staff Correspondent

UNITED Press Staff Correspondent
Boston, June 3.-UP)-The ever
delicate featherweight boxing situa-
ton became increasingly controver-
sial today as Willie Pep of Hartford,
Conn, prepared to defend his New
York style worlds championship
from Sal Bartolo of Boston at
Braves Field Tuesday in what may
be the fight of the year.
These were the festherweight
problems:
l. There are two champions
Pep recognized by the powerful
Massachusetts and New York Box
ing Commissions and Jackie Cal
lura of Hamilton, Ont, wearer of
the National Boxing Association
crown.
2. Former champion Chalky
Wright, scheduled to box Phil Ter
ranova in New York tomorrow for
the right to meet Pep for the title
in the Polo Grounds June 25, re-
fuses to sign for the title match. He
wants to regain the crown he lost
to Pep, thinks Bartolo might win
next week, and won't sign until he's
sure of the winner.
3. Callura, despite two bad up
sets since becoming champion,
wants to meet the winner of the
Pep-Bartolo battle for the undis-
puted worlds championship. But he
wants the lions share of the gate.
4. The Boston Boxing Associa-
ton, sponsors of the Pep-Bartolo
fight, have contracts calling for the
winner to appear at Braves field
again and have engaged the base
ball park for June %. The BBA
hints Wright may be one man in
the ring that night.
5. Tony Costa of WoonSocket, R.
l., who meets Larry Bolvin of
Providence, r. l., in that city Mon
day, demands chance to face the
Pep-Bartolo winner.
Though receiving only slight at
tention at the moment, Costa claims
he rates some consideration for his
decisive victory over Callura in
non-title bout at Providence last
April rs.
Adding to the controversy, the
current issue of Acknowledgements
nized boxing magazine placed a
champion and an elimination match
participant in the ruck by rating
the featherweights as Champion
Pep, Wright, Bartolo, Costa, Ter
ranova, Callura.
To top it all, a draft board is
breathing hard on Pops neck,
threatening to take the champion
and his crown off to war and leave
the draft-exempt Callura as the
titlist.
Most excited man at the moment
is Eddie Walker, manager of Wright
who is supposed to sign contracts
for the Polo Grounds match with
Pep before meeting TerranoVa. But
Walker was adamant in his refusal
to consider the contest, saying III
Bartolo beats Pep then he'll be
champion and Wright wants to be
free to fight for the crown"
Most affable figure was huge Lou
Viscusi, Pops manager. Convinced
that the champion was in rare form
for his 15-round match here next
week, ViscuSi chuckled and said:
Were fighting Bartolo first
Then we'll fight anybody else in any
order they want to fight, any place
they want to fight providing the
price is right. And Pep'll keep right
on fighting until he can't fight any
more"
Pep VS. Costa?
Woonsocket, r. l., June 3-(UP)-
Co-managers Larry Barry and BOD
Decelles said today that plans were
underway for a Providence match
featuring featherweight Tony Cos
ia of Woonsocket with the winner
of the Willie Pep-Sal Bartolo title
match at Braves field = Boston
Tuesday.
Barry said that Costa, who holds
a win over MIA champion jackie
Callura of Hamilton, Ont, and cur
rently is ranked fourth in the dl-
vision, would be ready to sign Tor
the match Immediately after his ~
round bout Monday at providence
with Larry Bolvin Of that city.
pep is the one we hope TO meet
and I think we may because ne
should beat Bartolo," Barry SAID
Naturally we'd like a shot at the
title but there's no much chance
that Pep would want to endanger It,
But a non-title fight would draw
$25, 900 house and that would be
we'll worth while"
At Boston, Pops Manager Lou
Viscousi was non commital and said
he would talk about other bouts
after TueSdaV"