Evening star., 1957-08-26
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW f, FRANCE. .r.pp
Case of the Little Gar
REPRESENTATIVE KEATINC.

REPRESENTATIVE KEATING, arguing that boxing
needs may be Understanding Sugar Ray Robinson
who apparently thinks he is he went before the
New York State Athletic Commission today the middle
weight king having parts of Welterweight Cham
pon Carmen Baslio next month, although he signed
contract for the fight The Tv arrangements don't
suit Robinson.
If he a lesser fighter, the industry probably
would have been done with Sugar Ray long time ago
because the is unpredictable Signing for fight
obviously little to Robinson The trick is to get
him in the ring
The guess here is that Robinson will keep his
with Basilo because it is big money fight 100000
advance sale already reported and those who should
know feel the bout will draw $75O00O, possibly
In New York. man connected with the Interna-
tiona Boxing Club but not authorized to speak officially
for the IBC, put it this way the telephone:
Robinson stands to make possibly $5O0,O0O l know
he needs the dough SO think he'll fight Baslio But in
the meantime he has messed up affairs in this town.
Ask any hotel manager"
THIS WILL BE-or was to have been-the fight of
the year Normally it's heavyweight battle that at
tracts the most attention Not this year Floyd Patterson
seems to be pretty fair champion but he hides too
long between fights and there suspicion that he
didn't gain much prestige with his sixh-round knock
out of the amateur, Pete Rademacher
Some competent eye-witnesses at Seattle vow that
Patterson fought careessy against Rademacher and that
he didn't have to lose the first two rounds, get
knocked down. Columnist Red Smith of the Herald
he wanted to carry Rademacher but didn't know how"
Smith observed although possibly not using the exact
words.
The point is that Patterson has little color-yet.
Louis and Marcano had it to spare Robinson has it.
Baslio too. Carmen, the one-time onion farmer from
upstate New York. is pretty popular performer these
days. He strikes fans a homely ex-Marine who has
taken his Jumps in the ring well having passed
out 1t safe to suggest that when and If he
fights Robinson he will be the sentimental favorite against
the larger man.
THERE is EVIDENCE, too that Basilo isn't exactly
buddybuddy with Robinson whom he has termed "arro
CANT" This before Sugar Ray threatened to pull
out of his September % date with Basio He probably
feels stronger about Robinson now.
There is always the risk Of playing into the hands of
smart promoters by deploring Sugar Rays seeming
reluctance to go ahead with the fight Only the IBC
doesn't to need any fancy budup for this fight and
Baslio sounds sincere when he says that Robinson will
fight him September % not at all. From here it smacks
of gimmick by the Harlem dude
He wants TV concerns As per cent on 100000
seats Tin theaters against the originally guaranteed
maximum by another outfit Of 250000 seats Robinson
is businessman but the way the fans want to see
him is a fighter.
Certainly he has been one Of the real good ones
The pity is that Robinson also known "Runout Ray
BY boxing promoters he is considered dynamite He will
fight most times superbly but usually when he feels
up to his best and the odds are with him.
*+%*
1t may not be complete Ray has postponed called
of at least IL fights for various This threat
is switch because 1t involves TV contract against
another Mainly, Sugar up with colds and injuries
Robinson doesn't always dodge the tough boys either
He has pulled out of title fights with Bobo Olson and
Gene Fumer and out Of warm-ups with the likes of
Joe Rindone and George Small.
Ray started the routine as far back as l948 when
he postponed a fight with George Abrams Then he
postponed Cancelled bouts with Bernie Docusen Steve
Beloise Sugar Cosner Jose Basora Bobby Dykes BobO
Olson DecemberJanuary 1851, Rindone, Small, Johnny
Lombardo, Olson october, 1855 and Fullmer.
Some doctors, like Edwin HORNED of the Massachu-
sets Commission, who examined Robinson before the
hght with Small, we're wary DR.. HORNED declared he
found mo evidence Of sickness injury which would
warrant me to postpone the fight"
Sugar Ray is strange When he fights, he
does so beautifully casscally He is picture fighter
When he pulls out he is described businessman"
an operator seeking better DEAL Yet II Robinson
good businessman why does he find it necessary TO
fight again after so Mi iny2