Evening star., 1954-09-16

Charles, challenger began career as a
mddlewegh IA years ago. wanted to put weight
return match His goal exceeded it by tipping
the scales at 1924 Everybody happy outside
drzzle fell and hour later fight postponed
to tonight Then it rained again today and the
be set back until tomorrow night
WHAT DOES postponement do to a fghter?" Jim
Braddock asked An ex-heavyweight champion himself
Braddock shrugged.
Depends the fighter" said "How he's constructed
up here" He tapped his forehead
Some of em don't mind one two a dozen postpone
ments Some who figure to have the original
go haywre. Can't sleep at night, lose weight all that
sort of thing"
AS for himself, Braddock saying, postponement
bothered him. Maybe that due to his years
austey when he forgotten dock worker after skddng
from contender before returning Cinderella champion
To me-" Jim saying at the BC headquarters the
rain fell "a fight fight. got paid for it. Didn't make
any difference when it was held"
THE PREVAILING ODDS of 5-to-1, favoring Marciano
to beat Charles similar to those which Braddock,
champion bucng when he defended against Louis
years ago.
"How does it feel" Braddock was asked when nearly
everybody have chance Like they said when
fought Louis and they saying about Ezzard
Chares?"
81 read somewhere papers that phegmatic
1ishman," Braddock replied "I called phegmatic
Irish optmst whatever that is When fought Louis
80 years old and knew what up against helluva
puncher, kid with good legs.
II dumped Louis real early said to myself, IF he gets
up it's going to be rough on Or jim He got up. q
that took everything out Of my legs Not my mind, under
stand but my legs. Joe finally took out in the eighth
IT knew when Louis got off the floor that all odds were
right. But if you're fighter expect those things
AT THE wEIGH1NG-1N ceremony, veteran observers Of
this ritual they had two
relaxed opponents than Marcano and Charles They shook
hands dozens of times smiling and talking to each other
The ceremony indicated that the only tense and confused
principals the those who won't spill drop Of
blood whenever the fight held Bob Chrstenberry chair
of the New York State Athletic Commission first invited
Marciano to step on the scales.
Rocky clad in white trunks and nothing else
except pair of length plaid Chrsenberry
motoned for Rocky the socks which perhaps
weighed The champion obliged and then,
while the scales, Chrsenberry indicated that he also
wished the trunks removed which would have left Rocky
naked the day he born Obigng, usual Marcano
pulled down his trunks in full view of newsreel and still
revealed flash of buttocks loud
raised by the bystanders perhaps $50 OF whom
newspapermen What kind of heavyweight fight this
to be, when couple of ounces were to be considered?
"Hey, Bob, these aren't fyweights you're weighing" a
voice beloved. what differences does make what they
weigh?"
MARCIANo AND CHARLES grinned at each other and
the proceeded both weighing in with trunks
not socks and the continued to turn Finally 1t was
and the fighters departed only to learn they not
to muss up each other until tonight at the earliest
Back to the subject of how postponemens affect fighters
Jake Mntz saying in the Hotel Edison where Charles
stops the eve of his engagements:
"Why should it affect my guy than the other
guy?" Mntz who is of Charles is the Casey
stenge of boxing The other guy comes easier than the
correct
Tom Tannas partner of Mintz and by camest
all excepting the fighting principals involved smiled wany
when the postponement was announced.
will live through the night Tannas saying, "and
will Marciano One maybe two postponements won't mean
too much to either guy In book they're both tops