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ROLAND LA STARZA The New York heavyweight is expected to enter the ring a 12 to 5 choice oyer Dan Bucceroni in their ten-round rematch at Madison Square Garden tonight. La Starza Favored To Whip Bucceroni Quoted a Surprise 12-5 For Tonights TV Bout In Madison Garden Ring By JACK CUDDY By the United Press NEW YORK, N. Y., May 29. Reluctant Roland La Starza of New York was favored at the surprising odds of 12-5 today to turn the tables on skinny Dan, Bucceroni of Philadelphia iri their televised return 10-round heavyweight bout at Madison Square Garden, tomorrow night. For this first bout ever staged in the Garden on Memorial Day, La Starza has promised to "turn, tiger." What, again? Nevertheless, the 12-5 quotation seemed "very odd" indeed to most persons who had seen the thin man win a unanimous 10-round decision over stocky La Starza at the Garden last December 21. That decision was an upset, for La Starza had been favored at 5-1. Bucceroni out-, boxed him and out-punched him in at least six rounds, and almost knocked him out in the second session as La Starzas knees buckled and lie floundered groggily about the ring but did not go down. Claimed -Touch of Influenza La Starza later claimed a touch of influenza had prevented his training properly for the bout. However, since La Starza had won the first round and finished, the stronger in the late going, his critics declared that "the only virus La Starza suffered came from Bucceronis fists." Offsetting Rolands claims, Bucceroni insisted he would have knocked out the ex-City College student had he not injured his right fist in the sixth round. Each contender has lost but two bouts. La Starza, 25 -year-old son of a Bronx butcher, dropped decisions to Bucceroni and to Rocky Marciano. The Marcianb verdict on March 24, 1950, was split and questionable. La Starza won his other 53 bouts, 25 by Tcnockouts. Bucceroni, 24-year-old son of a Philadelphia barber, won 37 of his 39 pro scraps, 27 by kayoes. He was stopped by southpaw Bob Murphy in the fifth round, March 16, 1951. And lie lost a decision in 1948 to Dick Wagner, whom he later defeated. Since their December bout, Roland beat three mediocre performers. He knocked out Big Boy Wilson and Joe McFadden, and outpointed Ralph Schneider. Bucceroni had but one bout. He stopped rugged Aaron Wilson in the eighth round at .Milwaukee, April 29. For their December tilt, La Starza weighed 186 pounds; Bucceroni, 181 J. Their scaleage difference was expected to be about the same tomorrow night.
