Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-09-22
Cerdan' Rule
As Middle King
Seen Secure
Crowd Thinks zuIe
Is Through; Handlers
Delay Decision
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
JERSEY CITY, N. j., Sept. a.
Marcel Cerdan, a laughing Latin
from Casablanca, is the new mid
dleweight champion of the world,
because he took Tony Zale's body
bombs and kept punching.
In the fourth round of last nights
title fight at Roosevelt Stadium it
looked as though Zale was about
to tear apart the 32-year-old tiger
of France. Cerdan WINGED and
blinked his eyes as Tony landed a
blockblster under the heart. But
he didn't 60 down.
That was where Zale lost his title
and Cerdan, a product of wartime
France, saw the way clear to realiz-
ing his lifetime ambition.
Once Yale had shot his heaviest
artillery he had nothing left. Ger
dan hooked to the head, led with
his right, tented the fading champ
into schoolboy errors and trussed
him up for the kill.
Zale was q tired old man of "a,
dead on his feet and with no zip
left in his punches from the sixth
round on. Only the fierce pride of
champion kept him of the floor
until he collapsed-as the New Jer-
sey official physician said, from
exhaustion"-just after the bell
ended the 18th round.
Collapse Surprises Cerdan.
The Frenchman seemed bit sur
prised to see him tumble, for the
last few blows to the head had been
no harder than a hundred others
he had thrown during the chilly
evening. Co-manager Art Winch
and Trainer Ray Arcel dragged him
to his corner like a sack of potatoes.
Then Winch and his partner, Sam
Plan, signaled Referee Paul Cavalier
he could not continue
Under New Jersey rules they went
through with the formality of ring
ing the bell for the 18th and an
nouncing that he had been knocked
out in II, but it didn't matter. Tony
could do no more fighting that
evening-and maybe never.
Although Yale and his managers
hesitate to make it official, asking
for a few days to make up our
minds" it was apparent to most of
the crowd of 1922 which paid a
subpar gate of $242,870 that Tony
was all finished. He was far from
the fighter who had scrambled the
brains of Rocky Graziano in re-
gaining his lost title last June at
the Newark ball yard.
Return Bout in Contract.
Next in line for Cerdan is sup
posed to be a return bout with Zale.
but that never may happen. The
Frenchman's contract for last
nights scrap included a little "gim-
mick" that called for him to defend
his title, If he won it. in either
Chicago. New York or New Jersey
before October, 1949. Yale was to
be given preference as the foe.
Just to make sure that Marcel
might not forget this obligation
most of his guaranteed purse of
$40 900 was held in escrow by Abe
Greene, New Jersey State boxing
commissioner. So he'll be back
but probably not with Yale.
Some insiders point out that
Cerdan might find it smart to skip
the whole thing and defend in Paris.
They point out that taxes will eat
up most of his purse in any event.
10 Longman, one of his advisers,
however, insisted he would be back
In two months.
The promoters, incidentally, insist
they got out with a small profit.
Andy Niederreiter, promoter for the
Tournament of Champions, said,
I'VE made between $4,000 and
500 1000"
Yale got a $4,000 guarantee, but
$45 900 radio money and approx
mately $4,000 from a movie con-
tract. still in the process of rene
gotiation, helped put the show in
the black ink. 1t was an interesting
challenge to the rival Twentieth
Century Sporting Club which puts
on double-header at the Yankee
Stadium tomorrow night featuring
Jesse Flores-Ike Williams for the
lightweight title and Ray Robinson
Kid Gavilan in a nontitle go.
European boxing gets terrific
boost from Cerdans victory for it
gives the overseas promoters three
world champs. Freddie Mills of
Britain upset Gus Lesnevich to take
the light-heavyweight championship
in July and Rinty Monahan of Ire
land is the fiyweight king. 1t takes
a fellow with long memory to re-
call when. If ever, such a situation
has existed.
The next time Marcel puts up his
ham like fists and tucks his chin on
his barrel chest, he will be the IA
yorite. Whether it's Zale, Graziano
or any other middleweight around
today, unless you call Ray Robinson
a middle.
The referee and most of the ring
siders agreed in the scoring of the
fight as long as it lasted. Most gave
Yale the third and fourth and Ger
dan all the rest. Cavalier saw the