The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-02-27
GRECO EARNSA.
TITLE BOUT By
BEATING SHANS
Young Canadian Soldier
Makes Great Hit at New
York Garden
~ JACK CVyDDY

Un1eeu Efe4B STAN COEte9pVn0onS
New York, Feb. 27s-(UP) Pvt
Johnny Greco Of the Canadian army
ID new and rnenacing contender, Oc-
cupied O prominent seat today In
the lightweight throne room by vir-
tue Of his surprising victory over
'Iron Man. Cleo shans.
The dark-haired Montreal italian
proved the "hard way" that he Is 3
dangerous challenger for Beau
Jacks 136-poun6 crown. Fighting
the full 10-round distance for the
first time In his career, 1o.year-old
Greco won the unanimous decision
by an impressive margin last night
over Shans, q tough, experienced
Negro from Los Angeles.
The experts said II was practical.
~ impossible for Greco to beat
Shans II the bout went 10 rounds.
They said he would have to knock
out Shans In an early round TO win.
But the young Canadian soldier
amazed the flstic fanciers and the
1854 fans in Madison Square Gar.
den with his laundering finish.
Close to X. o. FRI
Jolting Johnny had ShanS on the
verge Of collapse In the ninth round,
and battered him r1nercilessly about
the ring In the 10th, ending ct fun
steam one Of the grandest light
weight brawls staged In the Garden
In many @ month. Sharls, as yeara
old and q veteran Of more than 20
professional bouts, absorbed more
punishment than In any previous
engagement, but the Negro Iron
Man" shook of blows that appar.
emily would have felied O horse and
fought back from gong to gong ~
except In the NINTH The electrified
fans were on their feet In nearly
every session. g
Greco, q question mark fighter
because his previous two Garden
victories were flrst-rouI1d knockouts.
proved last night that he has STAN.
Ina, gaIneness and unusual strength,
in addition to q stunning punch iD
either flst. N ,ssu
Tilt Bout i. tl'
i Promoter Mike Jacobs said Gfter~
wards, 'I'll match Greco with Beau
Jack 70 r the title % soon e.
possible" He did not axnplisy
this statement. Yesterday Jacohs
matched Beau Jack for Q title de-
Tense against Bob Montgomery %
Philadelphia for the Garden, May
IA. M M.
oreco's manager, Murray ElkinA
said they would accept match i'm.
mediately with Beau Jack, or III We
have to wait until after May, Wen
take on other opponents. Johnny
will flght whenever he can get Q
furlough from the Canadian army"
The United Press scored SIX
rounds for Greco, three for Shans
and one even. Each was penalized
q round for low blows. Referee I'd.
die Joseph called Q foul against
shans in the eighth, and against
Greco In the ninth. In the latter
session, Greco jack-knifed Shans
with O left hook to the body and
then battered the reeling Negro
about the ring with o smashing
barrage to the head, There were no
knockdowns, although Greco slipped
to one knee In the eighth. Both
were bleeding from nose and mouth
at the end.
Greco had q slight weight advan.
tage, scaling 1856 Ia pounds to his
opponents ISl "a. The gate was
sac, 500. N
In the iO-round semi.fin Sal
Bartolo of Boston proved himself
the No. featherweight contender.
by taking the decision over Pedro
Hernandez Of Brooklyn, who had
beaten him previously. Bartolo
weighed 128 la, Hernandez 126 So.