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— — a _____ _____ _ ______ ______________ __ Many Important Fights Coming Up Three Big Outdoor t ♦ Shows in Limelight Maxim-Robinson, Gavilan- , Turner, Marciano-Matthews Matches Share Top Billing By JACK CUDDY United Press Sports Writer NEW YORK, N. Y., June 14.— Boxing will command widespread attention next week as top-flighters prepare for three big outdoor battles, crack amateurs compete in the U. S. Olympic finals at Kansas City, * and two good bouts are televised nationally. Most interest will be concentrated on * champions Sugar Ray Robinson and Joey f Maxim as they finish training for their • J light heavyweight title fight at Yankee Stadium, a week from Monday. i The advance sale for this 15-round bout between light heavyweight ruler Maxim j of Cleveland and middleweight boss Rob- inson of New York reached "approximately f 00,000" today. That indicated the gate i would approach 00,000. Theatre TV will t provide another 00,000. Percentage pro- ] ceeds from movies will add more. Maxim, 30 predicted in camp at Gross- inger, N. Y., that he would knock out i slender Ray, who is grooming at Joe Louis " old camp in Pompton Lakes, N. J. Robin- s a * son, 31, said, "could be, but the score sheet s says Maxim got only 20 kayoes in 99 fights. He aint no atomic bomb." r Nevertheless, Maxim was favored today r at the close odds of 6-5 to keep his 175- j pound crown on the night of the 23rd. He i was expected to outweigh Robinson about i 174 and to 157 Va— about 17 pounds. It was c the first time in Robinsons career he had been an underdog. c Will Try to Fight in Close ] In training, Maxim has indicated he will 6 be aggressive and try to fight Robinson at a close quarters. Robinsons sparring efforts indicated he will make a hit-and-run fight I of it until Cleveland Joey tires. They will do their last sparring on Friday or Satur- c day. t Meanwhile, welterweight champion Kid t Gavilan of Cuba and unbeaten young Gil s Turner of Philadelphia are conditioning for c their title fight at Philadelphias Municipal i Stadium, July 7. Gavilan is training at c Summit, N. J., and Turner, at Pleasant- g ville, N. J. q Co-promoters Herman Taylor of Phila- g delphia and Jim Norris of New York expect Gavilan and Turner to draw about t 00,000. Television will provide an extra e 0,000. a Because of his 31 straight victories, 21- I year-old Turner was quoted at "even y money" today for his attempt to wrest the o 147-pound crown from speedy Cuban bolo t puncher. Rocky Marciano and Harry Kid Mathews t already are hardening up for their heavy h weight challengers fight at Yankee Sta- 1 dium, July 28. Marciano of Brockton, b Mass., is chopping trees and taking jaunts o at Greenwood Lake, N. Y. Matthews is t hiking over the hills near hometown I Seattle. He will begin gymnasium work in t Seattle next week. There he will do all but his final two weeks of work, which will a be shifted to a New York gym. t Their bout is expected to draw about t 00,000 and to get 00,000 from threatre s TV. Movie money will be on a percentage a basis. Unbeaten Marciano was favored at r 6Y2 to 5 today. p Johnny Bratton of Chicago, ex-welter- c weight champion, will try to turn the tables on middleweight Rocky Castellani of Lu- F zerae, Pa., in their television 10-round 1« battle at the Chicago Stadium Wednesday 1» night. Castellani outpointed Bratton at t: Madison Square Garden last March. a Another nationally televised bout brings h together two promising young welterweights — Vince Martinez of Paterson, N. J., ■ and Sammy Giuliani of Stamford, Conn. — p at the Garden Friday night. Spectacular Martinez has won 23 of his 24 bouts. Giuli- n ani, a former in-and-outer, is now cam- ft paigning successfully. He is undefeated in s six bouts this year. Each is a good puncher, g Martinez belted out Tony Pellone in the first round. p The best American amateur scrappers among service men and civilians will fight ~ it out for 14 berths on the U. S. Olympic team Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at Kansas City. fj
