view raw text
Louis vs. Savold Minus TV and Radio Sponsors Rejected ° IBC Cash Demands Ex-Champ Asked 00,000 For Air-Video but Highest Commercial Bid Fell Short By BARNEY NAGLER Staff Correspondent NEW YORK, N. Y., June 2.— They turned back the clock at the International Boxing Club today. Jim Norris, the president, ruled out television and radio for Joe Louis 15-rounder with Lee Savold at the Polo Grounds, Wednesday, June 13, and those who want to see the old-time railing. will have to put up or be shut out. The decision to keep the fight within the confines of the ballpark was based largely on the refusal, of the IBCs two sponsors, Gillette and Pabst, to come through with enough cash to make it worthwhile. Louis had insisted on an 00,000 fee for the telecast. Highest bid was 2,500, not enough by a lot of thousands. So Norris turned thumbs down and, at long last, a good fight will be on its own. Last year the IBC twice went without video. Sandy Saddler-Willie Pep drew 62,000 at Yankee Stadium. In the heat of July, amidst the Boxing Managers Guild fight for more video loot, Jake LaMotta-Tiberio Mitri brought 9,000 worth of customers to air-conditioned Madison Square Garden. 0 Jop Ticket Price Now Louis-Savold is on its own. If it flops at the gate there will be no recall. The top ticket tariff is 0 and, as of the moment the sale hasnt put pressure on the box-office. Good seats are available and with the television cameras sealed, the customers should come out. The policy on Louis-Savold doesnt apply to the IBCs other outdoor bouts. Jake LaMotta vs. Bob Murphy, at the Yankee Stadium June 27, will be offered for sponsorship, but the price will come high. More likely than not, the event will not be telecast. It doubtless will be the same for the meeting of undefeated heavyweights Rex Layne and Rocky Marciano in the Stadium on July 11, an event moved up a week when Ezzard Charles signed to defend his heavyweight title against Jersey Joe Wal-cott in Pittsburgh, July 18. The third meeting of Ezz and Jersey Joe may be telecast, but again it depends on just how much the sponsor will ante up. Pabst paid 00,000 for Charles-Joey Maxim the other night. It will have to come again to get the match in Pittsburgh. While Norris was making the blackout decision, Louis and Savold continued training. Louis is at Pompton Lakes, N. J., his favorite camp, while Savold is at the Nem-erson, South Fallsburg, N. Y. In the beginning, when Louis-Savold -was signed, there was talk of a 00,000 gate. The estimates dipped sharply the last- few days. Now, however, there is an expectancy of a sizable gross, maybe as much as 00,000. This latter estimate is purely an objective report and not to be taken as this departments forecast. JAMES NORRIS — International Boxing Club president, announced that there would be no television or radio broadcast of the Louis-Savold bout on June 13.
