Evening star., 1951-07-18
C,harIes-WaIcoti
Battle Tonight
ToDraw 10000
/, Millions Of Fons
VIII See Title Fight
On Home TeIevision
BY the Associated Press

BY the Assoeiofed Press
| PITTSBURGH, July 1s.-warm
and somewhat humid weather, but
lno rain, was forecast for the out
door Ezzard Charles-JerSey Joe
lWalcott heavyweight champion
ship fight as the gladiators
|sweated out the hours for their
third title clash at 10 pm. (EDT)
tonight. d
An earlier prediction Of showers
was changed as the sun broke
through by noon.
This is Pittsburgh's first heavy
weight title scrap and the Forbes
Field card has caught on big here.
The only answer to the unusual
stir over this road show is Charles.
The 30-year-old Cincinnati Negro
considers this his second home
town and his appearance here in
defense OF his crown is a fulfill
|ment Of an old promise.
Otherwise the furore would be
difficult to understand, Lean
Ezzard. in the sharpest condition
of his life. is a 4 to / favcrite IN
"a very light betting market to
whip the 3T-year -old perennial
challenger as decisiyely as he did
in their other collisions in Chicago
and Detroit.
Fight on Home TY, Radio.
The promoting McGinely-Roon-
ley company already has over
l$154, 900 in the till and q crowd
of 10000 is expected to contribute
over SITS. 900 for the 15-rounder,
The bout will be telecast over
la 49-station hookup and also will
be broadcast.
Pittsburgh and nearby Johns
town, Pa, will be cut out of the
telecast.
(WTTG, Channel S. will pre-
sent the Washington telecast.
The radio account will be broad
cast by WTOP.)
In event of postponement, the
bout will be staged tomorrow.
Tom Gallery. DuMont executive.
said the telecast would be put on
the next day, too. Gallery said
the TV network is the largest
ever for a fight and he estimated
that more than go million per-
sons will watch it.
A group of TV set manufac-
Iturers, eager to give home viewers
a free look at the fight. and
sell more sets. outbid the theater-
television people and a brewing
company for the air rights with
"a lush offer of 500. 900.
Thus Charles and Walcott will
|cut another fat melon. Charles
will get 40 per cent of everything
|and Walcott 20.
Joe's Fifth Try at Title.
Old Jersey Joe, who is getting
la record fifth crack at boxing s
most priced bauble-more title
fights than half Of the previous
heavyweight kings ever got
voiced his usual optimistic re-
marks.
I'm going to knock him out.
said the ancient battler from
Camden, N. j. "It seems that's
the only way can win. I should
have gotten the decisions in the
first Louis fight and both Of my
fights with Charles"
There was much agreement re-
lgarding the Louis bout, but unan-
Iimous dissent with Jersey Joe'S
opinions on the two Charles af-
fairs.
Charles, cautious as usual. said
only ''In win. Maybe by knock
Iout."
There is much confidence In
the champions camp, however,
that wiry Ezzard will fiatten the
hardy oldtimer.
Charles came close in Detroit
last March when he dropped Wal
colt for nine in the ninth. And
against Light-heayyweight Cham
lpion joey Maxim in Chicago May
80. Charles looked better than
ever in shellacking the 175-pound
king.
Walcott must be given long
shot chance on the power of his
right-hand wallop. He staggered
the champ in the fourth round in
Detroit and for one long minute,
as Charles hung on desperately,
he almost held the world crown
in his grasp. Had he won, it would
have climaxed boxing's most
amazing Cinderella saga.