Evening star., 1953-05-10
Record Indoor Gate
Likely 10 Be Broken
AtChicago Stadium
BY the AsSoeioted Press

Rocky Marciano, the shoemaker
son with the iedge-hamme,
punch. defends his heavyweight
title for the first time agains'
the man he dethroned, JerSe!
Joe Walcott, at the Chicago
Stadium Friday night.
The 15-round match, post
poned from April 10 because ol
injury to Marciano's nose, will
be telecast nationally, with the
Chicago and Milwaukee areas cut
out to help push the gate toward
a potential s637,00o gross, An
other $25O,O0O will come from TV
rights.
The bout will be broadcast
locally as we'll as nationally.
It appears certain the record
indoor gate of $422.918. also set
at the Stadium, will be broken
The record was set July 18. 1947
when Rocky Graziano knocked
out Tony Zale in the sixth round
to regain the world middleweight
title.
Half of Seats Priced at $50.
Just about half of the 10000
seats in the stadium, which the
sponsoring international Boxing
Club describes as the world S
largest indoor arena. have been
tagged as $50 "ringside." Other
seats are scaled from $50 down
to SIS. .
The IBC today estimated
1925 900 worth of tickets have
been sold, with 5000 of the $50
ducats and 1000 of the $50 seats
still unsold. The sponsors first
envisioned a million-dollar bout
with an $850,00O gross gate
pegged on standing room
crowd of $4,000, plus TV money.
Now they admit a $50O,00O gate
Is their goal.
Walcott, the man who turned
hack the clock in boxing, cur
rently is a 3-to-1 or more under
dog in his quest to become the
first man ever to recapture the
heavyweight title.
The 39-year-old Camden, N. j.,
father of six children was giving
28-year-old Marciano a good
vhacking through II rounds OF
one of the most thrilling heavy
weight bouts in years at Phlla-
delphia last September %.
Right DethrOned WalcOtt.
But suddenly the sturdy-legged
Italian from Brockton, Mass.
rocketed a paralyzing right tc
the Jaw which knocked out Wal
colt in 43 seconds of the 18th
round.
The Nations. TV screens were
denied that bout, which was
shown on a closed circuit to the
ater audiences only.
The two principals have been
preparing since February for
their rematch, excepting the
early April respite when two
small blood vessels in Marciano's
nose were ruptured and the bout
was postponed five weeks.
The nose has been pronounced
completely healed. but Marciano
publicly, at least-never has
tested it in sparring sessions.
He has worn an ungainly head
gear to protect his face.
This will be the 44th profess
sional start for undefeated Mar
ciano, who has scored 38 knock
outs. He hasn't been held to
a decision since he won a 10
rounder from one Red Apple
gate at Providence April 80, 1851.
Walcott May Try to Box.
His Philadelphia scorcher
against Walcott was a throw
back to the pre-radio and tele-
vision days of the Dempsey
Firpo classic.
But canny Walcott, a master
boxer, may not choose to stand
up to the mauling, brawling
Marciano this time. Jersey Joe
knocked Marciano down with a
left hook in the first round and
nearly caved in his side with
another whistling left in the
11th. But Rocky kept coming
Some say Walcott spent his
energy in the 18th round and
the Marciano camp at Holland
Mich, contends that as early as
the 10th round. Jersey Joe began
shuff1ing backwards after wadine
in disdainfully before that.
Walcott contends the sudden
knockout came because he was
blinded in the left eye with
blood squirting from cut caused
by Marciano'S butting.
But Walcott says the buttine
occurred in the fifth round, anc
Marciano's handlers say it wa:
funny the blood didn't bother
him before the 18th.
Tired, Trainer Says.
HE just got tired. like an ole
man does. and he got tagged.
Charley Goldman, Marciano'S
diminutive trainer. says.
Walcott will be making hi
eighth start in a heavyweight
title bout since 1947. He twic'
was beaten by Joe Louis ant
met EZzard Charles four times
winning the crown with seven
round knockout in their thir'
meeting July 18, 1851.
Although Walcott and Marci
ano contracted to receive a 30-3I
split down the line, Jersey joe
manager, Felix Bocchicchio, go
a fiat $250.000 guaranteed from
the IBC, thus forfeiting a 80 pc
cent slice Of the net gate ant
TV receipts.
Marciano still gets 80 per cen
of the net gate and the $3.50. 90