Chicago world. (Chicago, Ill.) 1918-????, 1949-05-14

The explosions of the gloves
sounded like slabs Of wood
pounding against raw flesh. But
the two men in the ring continu-
ed to move about as if they did
not feel the effect of them. They
clrcled one another very slowly
on flat feet, looking, waiting
watching for a timely opening.
Then WHAMi
Enr1cO Bertola almost doubled
UP from the terrific impact Of
the blow. But instead of going
down he clinched deperately
with his sparring partner Pedro
Bradley, and leaned heavily on
his shoulders.
Pushing him away, Pedro bob
bed a little, before coming up
from the floor with a hard right
hand smashing to the Italian
heavyweight champions body.
They clinched again, painting
now like exhausted steam en-
gines. The champs handlers
looked at him with mild disgust;
however, only his trainer said
anything, and that was to tell
the fighters to break.
"Your left, Enrico your left!'
they began to yell. They raised
their voices so he could hear
them above the clatter Of punch
ing bags in the background.
use your left. Hook some lab,
jab, jab!" ~ Il
Enrico's big legs moved be-
meath his bulky frame without
any degree Of certainty; eau
tiously he began to stalk in on
Pedro, cornered him, then a
right hand went wide of the
mark
Blithely the other fighter low
cred his head and twisted his
sturdy body into the pushing
drive Of a savage punch to Ber-
tola's. For few seconds both |
men traded punch for punch. !
Ringside Gym seemed to have |
rocked, it's walls shook, in COM |
pliance with the echoing wallops. I
In his corner Enrico was in
structed as to what to do, to-
use his left, to use his left. But
the advice went over his headi
as during the next drame Pedro |
got under Bertola's offense and |
belted him at will. However, be-
cause he was merely a sparring
partner and not challenger,
had to hold his real tsuff
back.
Hold it back, that is, until he
crawls into the ring with Richard
Hagan, former Golden Gloves
champion, and ex-sparring part
her of Joe Louis.
II hope l win," replied Brad
ey to question. There was sin
certify in his modesty, and as he
climbed out Of the ring to don
1 head gear he seemed certain
If himself, in every detail.
''Hagan's a hard puncher," he
continued. II wouldn't like to
say how I'm coming out. If he /
beats me, it won't be because j
let him. It'll be because he's the
better man anyway, | hope
VIM
The ring will rock Monday
night, May 2, when the two men
meet, regardless how shy Pedro
IS in anticipating hs outcome.
He went over to a punching
bag and drove gloVed-hand
into it's middle. The bag
tangled, quivered, and then
swung back into another smash
ng blow.
Pedro was born in West Vir-
ginia, % years ago. Since that
time many things have happened
to him, and all Of them have not
been good. His father died, leav-
ing three girls and two boys, in
Guiding Pedro. But somehow he
mas managed to make a living
out of the brutality of the fight
game.
So far he has had 10 bouts, of
which Is have been victories.
Five by knockouts, a feat he has
never suffered himself.
'"My toughest fight was with !
Art Wilson," he said quietly. 81
fought him to a draw the first |
time -. second time | knocked |
him out"
"Dou you ever plan on quit
ling the gamer" we inquired.
when I get hold Of enough
money, sure. I'm going to re-
tire, buy my family a home, and
live the life of ease"
When he said this his eyes
lighted up with sparkles of ami
mated hope.
His trainer, Sonny Wallace,
stepped UP with a towel and