Evening star., 1959-06-24
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW By FRANCIS s1ApA
One Vote for Patterson
" FRANCIS STANN

NEW YORK, JUNE A-Tommy Phillips is pleasant
wisp of chap who specialzes in reporting boxing for
the London Daily Herald job that constantly calls for
him to turn up at Rome, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Mlan
Vchy, Los Angeles Indianapolis and of New York
As early last Sunday night he had made his mind
regards Floyd Patterson Ingemar JohanSson
at will be massacre" Tommy teephoned the London
Herald Patterson will stop the swede inside of five
rounds"
Some Importance here is attached to Phillips predc
ton because very few people in this country have seen
Johansson in action as many times (three) as Tommy
He him win his European heavyweight title by beating
England's Joe Erskne He him beat Pepper Bates
another Britsher and he watched him win over Henry
Cooper, the current Empire champion.
"And don't think he can fight lick" Phillips
saying today mot by comparison to Patterson at any
rate
THE sWEDE Is UNDEFEATED as a pro- winner of all
81 of his fights but Phillips holds the record is misleading
There good heavyweghts in Europe he contends
"Erskine> cuts easily and lacks punch Brian London
stopped Erskine and your Americans saw London in
Indianapolis.
Cooper beat London but for six rounds there wasn't
blow struck anger and the people in the arena began
moving the bars in the place convinced there would be
no action. Suddenly Cooper cut London and then he
administered thorough thrashing But Cooper wouldn't
last beyond five rounds with Patterson"
Phillips sensbly does not express his opinion in front
the small army of Swedish reporters here on the scene
of omorrowS title fight They're really rabd. you know
convinced that Sweden will have her hrSt tle-hoder
But frankly don't think the Swedish boxing writer's are
terribly qualified Professional boxing barred for years
in Sweden there only three Of four pros
in the whole country One is JohanSSon OF course, and
there Ollie Bengtson, middleweight who has fought
once in a year"
Phillips shrugged, But do not like to hurt the
Swedes' feelings, so keep quiet around them"
THE LONDON HERALDY expert actually saw Johans-
son in four fights witness to ngys retreat from
the late Ed Sanders of the United States in the 1852 Om-
pics which caused the referee to throw Johansson
out of the ring This not difficult inaSmuch as lngy
obviously trying hard enough to get out under his own
power
oddly, don't hold that against him very much as
concerns this fight Tommy says 1T is true that was
sorry spectacle Johansson actually turned his back on
Sanders in running away and refusing to fight But
looked into the matter and the story I've come to accept
is this JoanSson only 10 years old and his Swedish
advisers sensing they had fine prospect, told him:
"Ingemar go far toward the finals as you can but
don't get hurt You have future as professional ano IL
won't do to be hurt.
"Johansson apparently took them at their word and
turned tail must say that while he never has impressed
me since with his SKILL have any signs OF lack
of courage"
MEANWHILE, FIGHT TALK has taken over in New
York as some of the principals begin moving to town
Edwin Ahlouist Johanssons adviser appeared at press
See WIN. LOSE OR DRAW, Page D.;