Evening star., 1952-12-14
0ddsmakers Ignore
Prediction That AQe
Will Beat Contender
BY the Assoeioted Press


ST. LOUIS. Dec. 14.-PatientI
Archie Moore. who at 36 has been
q major contender for a decade.
collects on an overdue note from
the boxing world Wednesday
night. at long last getting title
chance in his championship bout
with Joey Maxim, lightheavy-
weight king.
In those 10 years the st. Louis
Negro has won many accolades.
but never a crack at the cham
pionship. His pleas fell on the
deaf ears of Billy Conn. Gus Les
nevich and Englands Freddie
Mills
Now. after 127 bouts in 18 years
of boxing, Moore is to become the
third threat to Cleveland-b born
Maxim's 175-pound title. Six
years younger than Moore. joey
has defended his crown only twice
since taking it from Mills on a
knockout almost three years ago.
His last showing was a fine per-
formance last summer when he
toppled Ray Robinson in 13
rounds with the help of the heat
and some lefthand blows to the
body.
Moore Favored.
There are those who say Moore's
chance comes too late. Yet he's
the favorite at odds of from 6 to 5
to 8 to S.
Some say Moore-Who admits
he gets as much kick from making
an opponent miss blow as land
ing one himself-isn't an interest
ing fighter. Yet he set an attend
ance record in Toledo and he
could do the same Wednesday
against Maxim. About 1900 fans
are expected in the 19,700-seat
arena. That crowd would pay an
estimated 100000 gross at the
gate-well above the st. Louis re-
cord of $50 900 paid at the feath-
erweight title match between
Willie Pep and Charlie Riley jan
uary 16. 1850
The bout. promoted by the In
ternationl Boxing Club. will be
blacked out in the St. Louis area.
but broadcast and telecast ma
tionally over the CHS network.
Both in Top Condition.
Both Moore and Maxim. with a
heavyweight title chance promised
the winner. are in top condition.
They took their last strenuous
workouts yesterday. but have been
tapering off for five or six days.
Crafty Jack Kearns, Maxims
manger, has spread the word
Moore will have to deliver a
Knockout punch to beat his boy
Doc figures joey can handle
Moore if it goes the scheduled Isl
rounds. Maxim thinks so, too. He
believes Moore a shade below
some of his previous opponents.
Under Missouri rules. a decision
Is judged on a split of 10 points a
round.
Archie has been quoted as say
ing he would knock out Maxim.
But he conf1deS: THAT made good
reading. But I'll tell you one
thing-I'll try to do just that"
Knocks Out II of 1O2.
Seventy -one of Archie's 102 VIC
Tins have been knocked out
Moore has been knocked out four
time-but he's avenged them all
except the stopper provided by
Ezzard Charles, the former heavy
weight champ. in 1948.
Maxim, by comparison. has
knocked out Il opponents in his
78 victories in 100 bouts. He's
been stopped but once, in 1943
during his second ring year.
If Maxim carries the power
punch, it probably will come in a
left jab or hook. His left is his
best. The right is for defense.
Moore punches dangerously with
either fist.
Both Known for Defense.
Both boxers. however, are
known for defense. Neither carries
a permanent ring scar. although
Maxim, who has taken some stiff
joltS, has sported a bruised check
bone since coming to ST. Louis.
It's an old mark suffered while
boxing with Lee Savold In the
East.
The only mark on Moore, over
an eye. resulted from childhood
scuffle with his cousin-a girl, no
less.
Maxim showed his defensive
ability in fights with Charles in
addition to his work against Rob-
inson. While he lost all of them
to Ez, he never hit the canvas. |
Both fighters are evenly
matched as to height and weight.