The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-09-26
|GrozionoIs .CuddyChoice To K.O. ZoIe
BY JACK CUDDY United Press Sports Writer

bX JACK CUDDY
 United Press Sports Writer
 New York, Sept. 25. (UP)-I pick Rocky Graziano to knock out Tony zale within six rounds.
 Their battle for the world mid dleweight crown at Yankee Stadium Friday night shapes up, in nay opinion, as a contest between a faded champion and young, hard hitting "comer."
 When Champion zale strips down to his ring togs under the stadium lights he will look virtually the same to his many admirers as the great fighter they knew before the war. The blond, beautifully pro- portioned Pole from Gary, Ind, will appear every inch a fighting man. But I believe, those admirers will discover soon that their idol has fleet of clay"-that his legs are gone.
 Lost to Conn
 This would not be surprising discovery about a performer of 32 who hasn't had a real" fight in four years and seven months. Zale met his last stiff opposition in Feb. 13, 1942, when he lost a 12- round decision to the much-heavier Billy Conn. It is true that Tony registered six knockouts in six tune up bouts this year; but all six of those opponents were members of the stiff" family.
 Many capable boxing men were impressed by zale's form" while training for this bout. I was not. He appeared too easy to hit, as he came marching in. His legs seemed to lack their old-time buoyancy; and those legs seemed to tire after two or three rounds of sparring. He still punched accurately for the short-ribs with his right, as he came in. But at close quarters he seemed content, too often, to rest in clinches instead of blazing away at the body with his old time sava- gery.
 Tony's legs can expect no rest Friday night when he squares off against young Graziano, who is hell-for-leather slugger from gong to gong.
 Over-Rated!
 Graziano, at "A, is only approach in the peak of his prowess. Some boxing men claim that this square shouldered, muscular Italian is the most over-dated palooka in the ring. They say that he built up his reputation by knocking over well terweights, and that when he tackles guy who out-weighs him about 159 to 154, the action will be in reverse. The Graziano critics could be right; but in my opinion Rocky is the most improved and one of the most dangerous fighters in any division.
 Although Graziano has engaged in 54 bouts, he never found him. self" until the night of March g, 1945, at Madison Square Garden, when he was threatened with his first knockout-when he came up from the canvas to belt out Billy Arnold in the third round. It was the first knockout against Arnold, who had belted out 28 opponents in 32 pro bouts and who had lost but one decision.
 That desperation kayo branded the East-side Italian great pros pect, but one who needed much out. Since then he has been the most carefully schooled youngster in the ring. His tutors taught him to use his dynamite They strengthened his looping right; they shortened his wild hooks; and they gave him a left jab
 AS Rocky came along, his two hardest fights were with the then Welterweight Champion Freddie Cochrane, who was fast and smart and game-but old. Each of Rocky's over Cochrane came in the 10th rounds.
 Graziano met only one middle weight since he began his sensa- tional sensational as gate at least. He met Sonny Horne last Jan. 18 and had to be with a 10-round deci- sion. Horne lasted the distance be- cause Horne was fin there" that night to go the distance. At no time would he stand and fight with Rocky. Because of Sonny's flying feet, Graziano couldn't land solidly.
 Has Left Jab
 But Rocky landed solidly on Marty Servo last March 2o. Gra- ziano was far different fighter that night than the wild club-flght- er who had knocked out Billy Arnold a year previously. He used his left jab on Servo-left jabs that almost tore Marty's face off-left jabs that started Marty on the road to his second-round knockout
 Servo hd gone into the ring a slight favorite in the betting, for Servo had captured the welter- weight crown from Cochrane on knockout. And bet ting men recalled also, that the pre-war Servo had gone 20 rounds with hard-hitting Ray (Sugar) Rob- close rounds.
 Perhaps Servo, at 26, was washed ID; or perhaps Servo merely ran nto a guy with -piano punch another Ketchel." Perhaps Zale, a bigger but older champion, is washed up. Anyway, Zale will run nto the guy with the piano punch" Friday night; and, take it from me, zale will be knocked out.