Evening star., 1953-09-14

has he defended the than a year
In other words Rocky has enjoyed only big payday
Fighters will tell you that after paying obligations
Cured the up there is not much left to
from the first fat purse
So here is Marciano, tough coorful performer with
the big punch and nobody after LaStarza fight
Charles to lapse into DresSenese is dead Layne
So is Jersey Joe Walcott
LOUIS WAS ONLY % when he won the heavyweight
title. He fresh out of the piled up
quick fortune although he did not keep it, BY the time
he went into the Army, his title frozen" Duration
Joe had 81 successful title defenses At time he was
year younger than Rocky is today.
Marciano sweated his Army tour before he began
hghtng Then he boxed in the amateurs and began the
climb upward in the racket Rocky longer
Joe to win the title chance all he needed
Marciano five older when he opped wacott than
Joe when he unSeated Jim Braddock This doesn't give
Rocky too much time to make his pile.
Louis may not have been defending against
so seemed during those but his opponents
would look good in the ring with Marcano At least
some of them might be able to draw at the box Office.
Max schmeing, for example And Buddy Baer, Lou
Nova, Tommy Farr Bob Pastor and Tony Galento These
latter five the Bum Month" list. in
cluded those moneymaking fights Joe had before
ming his title those with Schmeng (frst time Max
Baer Jack Sharkey, Primo Carnera and Braddock.
IN THE INTERNATIONAL BOXING CLUBS numbering
attempt to build up LaSarza and knock Marciano
is pointed out that for once Rocky meeting younger
Which is true Lastarza is only g. far younger than
Marcano victims of the three years Louis savod
Harry Matthews and Wacott.
Despite his advantage in YOUTH LaSarza also has the
edge in experience He has fought times many
rounds than Rocky whose A battles averaged
something like four rounds in length this hardly
point to be held against Marcano His fights shorter
because he made them so.
True, Rocky has fought only minutes change
since September 23 1882 when he dethroned Walcott
in the return bout when Jersey Joe swooned from the
first punch, and it is conceivable that Marciano rusty
the other hand LaSarza hasn't been shooting any
works this either hasn't fought ecsoned
Rex Layne last February in 10 rounds the Layne
who has been attened frequently by everybody
else that boxing commissions being urged to bar him.
1T COULD BE THAT AL Weill who manages Marcano,
made one mistake excusable one, however when
1t to planning for his tiger couple of months
he had choice of two opponents Laarza exChampon
Ezzard Charles. He chose LaStarza.
"Of course he'll pick LaSarza" predicted Tom Tannas
co-manager of Charles bitterly "Wei LaStarza
hidden They don't dare let him fight fight third
"Akron?"
yeah. Somebody named Rocky Jones beat him. They
hushed up Just to square it for record they got
Jones in New York and beat him. But both fights
rounds and what kind of challenger LaStarza that guy
like Jones the distance twice. winning once, yet?"
"And CharleS?"
Charles wait" Tannas said "Weill knows it,
fight Charles without being afraid he'll blow
eliminate himself. WE'LL is saving Charles"
WE'LL and Tannas both wrong Charles could and
did eliminate himself While waiting for a match with
MarcanO he managed to lose nondescrpt heavyweight
named Nino Valdes few nights ago he got licked by
Harold Johnson, ightheavyweight And there's only
LaStarza. And after LaStarza nobody, 1t looks like