Evening star., 1948-06-06
The Rock 5-12Choice,
But Early Knockout
Either Way Looms
by Jock Hond
A,,o<io,,d Press speris Writsr

| BY Jock hond
| Assoeiotsd Press Sports Writer
NEWARK, N. j., June 5.-Middle-
weight Champion Rocky Graziano
a ring outcast in New York, resumes
his blistering title feud with Tony
Zale wednesday night in the handy
refuge Of Rupert Stadium here.
Chased across the river to New
Jersey because The Rock is under
suspension in his own home State
the third chapter of this humping
series figures to draw 10000 people
and a gross gate of 100000. At
least that's the estimate of the
newly organized Tournament OF
Champions, Inc, whose seven
millionaires" need $500, 900 house t<
break even in their first promotion
Most experts agree with the book
makers that the champ should be
q solid S to II favorite. The odds
may narrow over the week end Il
a food of zale cash from Chicago
materializes.
According to the past performance
charts, this has little chance o1
going the 15-round route. The rug.
ged sluggers swapped sixth-rounc
knockouts in their earlier BOUTS
win for Zale September ~, 1946 in
Yankee Stadium in New York anc
a victory for Graziano last July 16
in the sweltering heat Of Chicago
Stadium.
Grazian0 Has S-year Edge.
Granziano, the tousle- haired Deac
End kid from New York's East Side
has an 8-year youth advantage ovel
Hollow-cheeked Zale. the ex-chamI
from the steel mills Of Gary, Ind
Rocky is 26 and Tony celebrated hi
34th birthday anniversary a weel
ago.
So far, Graziano has been unable
to cash in on the title he lifted from
Zale in Chicago. He was banned
in New York before he won the crown
because he failed to report an ALLEGED
bribe offer in late 1s46. Since the
Chicago scrap, publication Of hi
spotty army record raised new bar.
riers in many States.
Rocky was ring rusty In his only
fight since last July. That was q
10-round decision he took over Son.
ny Horne In Washington two
months ago. Since that time he has
sharpened up his punching. He in
sists he Is in the best shape of his
career.
A month in the mountains at FL
lenville, N. Y, and another month
OF almost daily boxing in Stillman's
Gym appear to have restored his
timing. Now he left hooks with
enough power to floor sparmates,
but his dynamite right to the head
still is his ace. He plans his usual
slam-bang fight and his handlers
say he'll flatten Zale in four.
Zale Expects 3-Round Win.
Like Graziano, Zale's chief worry
at this stage is in going stale. He,
too, has been through strenuous
conditioning routine, a task that is
harder to take every passing year.
Two weeks at Hot Springs, AK,
walking in the mountains. three
weeks of boxing in Chicago and two
more in a New York CYO gym have
made him edgy.
A notoriously poor performer in
the gym, Zale's critics have pointed
out that he has been hit too often
by his sparring partners. But his
co-managers. Sam Plan and Art
Winch, aren't disturbed. They re-
member the paralyzing effect Of
Tony's ramming right under the
heart in his first battle with Rocky.
zale's record since last July con-
sists of three fights, all won easily
by quick knockouts.
Not given to pop-off statements,
the quiet serious Zale has predicted
he will hatten The Rock in three
rounds. He blamed the heat for his
loss in Chicago, although he still
insists the referee made a mistake
in stopping it.
Plan and Winch battled for the
right of seconds to toss in the towel
this time. but Abe Greene, New Jer-
sey boxing commissioner and presi-
dent of the National Boxing As
ISOLATION. insisted the referee should
be the sole Judge of when to stop
the fight.
Everything Up TO Referee.
In New Jersey, the referee Is an
all powerful figure for there are no
Judges. The referees decision is final.
In the event the fight Unexpectedly
should go Is rounds, it will be de-
cided on the round basis. II rounds
should be even, the fighter who has
won his rounds by the more decisive
margin will be the winner. Paul
Cavalier is chief of referees in this
State.
If this third bout approaches the
first two in action, nobody will be-
grudge Rocky his $4,000 cut and
Zale's $4,000 split. For the previous
two scraps, Zale drew a total OF
1881 $3.50 and Graziano $155.376. Their
$352,421 gross in Chicago set an in
door record.
Promoter Andy Niederreiter has
ruled out television for this bout, but
it will be broadcast on a coast-to-
coast network. The radio rights were
sold for s45, 900 and the movies for
$25. 600.