Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-02
WIN, LOSE OR
GNAW By FRANCIS sTANN
New Years Eve Money

NEW YORK, JAN I'm the International Boxing Club
quarters the second floor of Madison Square Garden
proper lack activity and people New Years
Day. before world middleweght championship fight
Harry Markson the good right hand of Jim Norris at
his There telephone operator, lady clerk and
only Murray Goodman's publicity cubce anything re-
sembling group. 1t small in number but Goodman
and Eddie Walker being stoutish made it group.
What's there to do? Murray asked. "The fighters are
ready they'll be- There only two pieces Of
news"
Whats that?" asked a visitor
1.-THE Robinson money in last night-New Years
eve. Also, today is my birthday"
Since Mr.. Goodman has birthday every year the bigger
the shift in odds. For weeks Gene Fulmer OF
West Jordan Utah, Mormon Church elder welder and
25yearod challenger to Sugar Ray Robnsons has
been rated an 8-to-5 favorte Suddeny-n matter of
hours-Fumer only to in man-oman betting and by
ring time tonight it's possible that Robinson So old and
veteran of LAG professional fights of which he lost only
four, will be the betting choice
WHAT CAUSED THE SWITCH? Sugars workout on
New Years didn't discourage any bettors who
the fence Murray said HE wanted to to the public
that he ready. You know the poStponement didn't
help any"
The Robnson-Fullmer fight originally scheduled
for December H. Robinson pleaded IAN respiratory
ailment" and the date changed Even the
wool Robinson FANS of whom think he rates with Joe
Cans, Benny Leonard and very few others master
rngman, wondered Sugar has reputation for pulling out
of fights When he begged off last month suspected
that Robinson felt he couldn't cope with Fumer.
Joe Louis dropped by not long ago. Walker said. Nov
realize that Joe hasn't been much of Handicapped
wrong often than he's right But you know
what he in the ring and being often should
bring in the law of averages"
What did Louis say?" asked man.
HE says Robinson can't lose If he only fight 10
rounds Sugar still will win He's the best ounter-puncher
in boxing Those Joes exact words. Fullmer is
charger After two three rounds of Robnsons combna
tons this Fumer is going shook up Then he'll start
to think He'll got to fight some other When he
starts to think he'll be dead He amt got other way to
fight. Robinson has.
WHAT PROBABLY WAS A FACTOR in raising Fullmer to
the status of early 8to5 favore the alacrity with
which he accepted the oddly opsded terms agreeing to
1912 cent OF the gate less taxes while Robinson will get
471a cent Furthermore Sugar Ray is to receive fiat
$4,000 of the 100000 televson fee.
"A that anxious to fight Robinson has got to be
he'll wn, people said. Later. Fumer gave credence
to the theory.
Robinson and his managers got suckered by giving
even 1919 cent I'd have signed the contract papers for
nothing"
In the IBC's publicity room the feeling seemed to be
that Fumer, described "a little Rocky Marcano perhaps
overrating himself Hes been in ring with
class fighter like Robinson man argued Sugar might
be DID, but he knows all there about fighting
Good Lord look at his record You don't lose only fights
out of 146 without being great"
1T is BARELY POSSIBLE that Fullmer of late has dis
couaged bettors by becoming ncommunicado the
IBC. He stopping at the home "a friend" He hasn't
worked out publicly for few days The last dispatch
the elder and welder went like this
Il look at my fight with Robinson similar to Marcianos
first with Jersey Joe Walcott don't like throw the
Old Man tag around but Robinson old fighters
go and have yet to- reach my peak He claims he's 49,
although the record book says So But give take year
what's the difference? am rs and that's at years
younger. Wacott SO Rocky % when they met in
Philadelphia.
"A lot OF people think it will be all Robinson in the
early rounds and my only chance is wearing him down
Well for IL rounds Walcot had good edge Marciano
even having him on the deck In the 18th Rocky
knocked out Walcott This could happen my fight with
Robinson
AS THEY WERE PREPARING to close up shop at the
IBC Markson put it this way
Its good match It's got controversy The factors
are plain Fulmer has youth and certain ruggedness
his SIDE Sugar has class and knowhow Also he's got IS
or 36-year-old legs.
"Fullmer had fine year in 1856, winning Ave fights
including those from Charles Humez Tiger JONES' Gil Turner
and Rocky Castean On the other hand Sugar took
Olson apart twice inside Of total OF six
Bobo make mistakes and then combnaoned him to death
There's just one thing" said.
Whats that?" another of the IBC staff asked.
THE last fight recovered of those youthversus-
affairs picked Archie Moore but Floyd Patterson
him apart, too"
That's the chance you take shrugged Eddie Walker "You
want class and you take Moore Robinson
But then you don't know morning of the. fight If the old
guys legs went wrong of sudden That's what makes
match"