Evening star., 1950-08-06
Robinson ST. Choice
Over Fusari, but Big
Gate Is Expected
BY the Assoeiofed Press

JERSEY CITY. N. j., Aug. S.
Sugar Ray Robinson risks his
welterweight title for 81 Wednes-
day night at Roosevelt Stadium
against Charley Fusari of Irving
ton. N. j., in a Damon Runyon
Cancer Fund show.
Andy Niederreiter and Humbert
Fugazy, the promoters, expect a
crowd of 10000 to pay at least
$150,000 to see Robinson defend
his crown for the fifth time.
There will be no television
broadcast of the bout, scheduled
for 8 pm. (EST). Radio plans
still are unsettled.
Sugar Ray, also recognized as
middleweight champion in Penn
sylvania. rules a prohibitive IA
vorite to whip the blond Jersey
milkman. There is little betting
on the outcome, but you probably
could scare up 5 to l against the
underdog If you tried hard
enough.
Ray Must Make Weight.
AS usual, when Robinson has
to make the 147-pound limit,
there is considerable talk about
the matchmaking ordeal. When
Robinson whipped Robert Vile
main at Philadelphia June 5, he
weighed 155. In recent fights the
Harlem flash seemed strongest at
that weight.
Abe Greene, National Boxing
Association commissioner, has
taken every precaution to be sure
that Sugar Ray will make the
weight. II he comes in overweight
at the II am. weigh-in at the
stadium Wednesday, Ray will be
deprived of his title and Fusari
will be listed as leading con-
tender. II FuSari should whip
an overweight Robinson, Greene
promised to recommend to the
NBA that he be recognized as
champion.
Vic Marsillo. Fusari's manager,
says he'll claim the title anyhow
if Robby weighs over lat pounds.
But Ray will make the weight,
somehow, even If he is weakened
by the struggle.
In the event of rain the bout
will be put over until Thursday
night. with no second weigh-in.
But If it rains two days in a row,
there must be another weigh-in.
That hardly sounds important now
but could be vital to Robinson.
Referee to Make Decision.
In accordance with New Jersey
rules. there will be no judges. The
referee will make the decision
alone. The automatic eight-count
rule for all knockdowns will be in
effect.
The Runyan Fund gets IS per
cent "off the top" after State and
Federal taxes are deducted from
the gross gate. Robinson and Fu-
sari each signed for 80 per cent
but Robinson is giving all his
share. except the 81 to make it
legal. to the fund. Fusari is do
mating 5 per cent of his share.
Robinson, now 80, hasn't fought
hard since he handed Villemain a
fancy pasting at Philadelphia. He
was to have risked his Pennsyl-
vania middleWeight title against
Jose Basora at Scranton. Pa, July
18 but failed to 60 through with
the bout. claiming he had a sore
back. He was fined $1,000 and
promoters expenses.
Graziano Kayoed Fusari.
Only one fighter, Jake La Motta,
holds a decision over Robinson.
Jake. now the middleweight cham
pion. beat Ray in 1943. He's won
all the rest with the exception OF
draws with Basora in 1945 and
with Henry Brimm at Buffalo,
N. Y, in l948.
Until he ran into Rocky Graz
iano last September, Fusari never
had been knocked out. Rocky
took care of that In a savage 10th
round. Fusari was ahead on points
at the time.
In 10 fights. the 24-year-old
Fusari has won 81. His most sem
sational performance was a one
round knockout of the late Vince