Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-12
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW By FRANCIS s1Auu
The Ancient Ones

THE LAST TWO TIMES Bobo Olson appeared before a
reasonably large groupsuch 40 so millions of people
he gave the distinct impression Of fighter with Seuben
jaw The first time Archie Moore tagged Bobo he went ker
PUNK and remained horizontal Ditto the first time Sugar
Ray Robinson clicked him last week
Yet months ago. while training for Moore, there
serious talk of Olson contender for Rocky Marcanos
heavyweight title Probably the match would have been
made too Moore had not prcked the balloon Both Bobo
and his manager Sid Flaherty seemed favoraby inclined
toward the venture when the subject was brought up
For all they anybody else knew Olson could have
been another Bob Ftzsmmons at least Mickey Walker
Now everybody knows better They should have known better
long before the Moore fight or when like
Rocky Casean decked Bobo title fight August 1854
Fz Toy Bulldog Bobo has been unfrocked just another
middleweight who wore the purple for spell
SO
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG with the fight racket
according school of thought The schoolboys
part managers of aging incompetent pugists
who in the absence young blood keep their masters
in doughnus and bagels But there has to be lot
with boxing.
Today, at 49, Robinson finds himself with sngulary
firm hold on the mddeweight title That Olson will chal-
lenge inside the next few months is likely but by it
should be fairly obvious to ALL including Bobo that he can't
lick Sugar Ray He tried when he young when
at his peak and finally when he going downhi No
luck any Of the times.
If put to vote of authentic fight experts list Of the
three best stghters in the world today probably would
start with Marcano include Moore and end with Robinson
All the rest including the game durable and conscientious
Carmen BasIi0, are from munger.
$3.50
AGEwISE, ROBINSON IS only the middle man among
the top three world champions Moore admits to 80 years.
going 49, and he may be older Marciano 81 is the
youngster Of the trio Their combined age 05 yet there
isn't redho contender for any Of the ehoders when
there should be painting line forming the right for
crack at each of them.
with nothing much to beat as lght-heavy except the
likely 1856 challenger On the strength of dropping Rocky
last summer Archie may persuade minority that he has
chance in return He probably hasn't much chance, but
still must be conceded better than any Olson figures
TO have when and If he meets Robinson again.
AS for Marcano, he has little choice The IBC scraped
the bottom of the barrel for Don Cocke of England before
the defense against Moore and prepared to do
scrapng by offering Bob Baker Nno Vades until they
eliminated themselves last week There other young
Floyd Patterson, but the evidence is that Paersons han
dlers in rush fight Rocky They admit br at
young Floyd himself does that he isn't ready Since there
is for Marciano to turn back the calendar Patterson
afford to wait
FIGHTER WHO WAS still wearing Army uniform
when introduced in the ring Chicago last week may be the
most dangerous opponent for Mddleweght Champion Rob-
nson the future That would be Joey Gabra younger
than Sugar Ray and presumably tougher than Olson.
before match with Giambra almost certainly will be the
with Bobo and that shouldn't keep Robinson from
sleeping.
That was crisp performance by Sugar Ray the other
night in which he showed the old sks that few fighters
of his learned But at the risk of inviting charge
Of belttlng Ray scarcely test that Olson provided
The last thing fighter loses is his punch they all insist
and Robinson proved he still could hit.
What not proved, however, whether the Sugar
mans legs can carry him distance and IT, should he
into storm of punishment Ray weather it. Robinson
in the ring total of less than six minutes He could
have been in there fighting for 80 As.
ALI the Olson fight demonstrated that Ray hit too
hard for Bobo But such the state of the fight that
perhaps little else needed Marcano Moore and Robinson
it's doubtful If before three such venerable gents
ruled not only the heavy, hghtheavy and mddeweight
roos at the same time but also were accounted the best in
the world on a pound pound basis.