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Maxim, Robinson Battle Tonight Favor Ray to Dethrone Joey As Light-Heavyweight King Fifteen-Round Title Bout At Yankee Stadium Likely To Attract 00,000 Gate By BARNEY NAGLER Staff Correspondent NEW YORK, N. Y., June 21.— The best fighter in the world, Sugar Ray Robinson, will attempt to prove he is the best middleweight in the light -heavyweight division up at the Yankee Stadium Monday night. Robinson, favored at 5-6 to 5 to win his third title, opposes Joey Maxim, the reluctant 175-pound boss, in a 15-rounder intended to test the eminently qualified Hariemites right to a cubicle in the Hall of Fame. Only two other boxers in all of the storied history of the much-maligned but seldom colorless sport held three world championships. Henry Armstrong, later a victim of Robinson, owned the featherweight, lightweight and welterweight baubles. Ruby Robert Fitzsimmons the was middleweight, light-heavyweight and heavyweight bossman. - Upwards of 40,000 fans will part with about 00,000 in pew fees. Good break in the weather may bring a rise in both the number of fans and the long green, but the International Boxing Clubs Jim Norris will settle for 400 grand, give or take a few thousand. The weather outlook was considered favorable, with the balloon men forecasting clear. and warm. If weather forces a postponement, the bout will be put over until Wednesday night. J Robinson is the pick here and has been J ever since the match was signed weeks ago. He will be outweighed, about 174 to 158, but neither outgunned nor outsped. He will outbox Maxim, going and coming. He will score with left hooks to the body and combinations to the head. He can win by a knockout. Has Won 134 of 136 Fights This forthright indulgence in oracular exercise is based on no mere flight of prejudice. Robinson has been a great fighter. In 136 matches, going back to 1940, he has lost only twice. Jake La Motta, victimized five times in six matches by Robinson, and Randy Turpin turned the trick. Turpin was properly conked in a return. At 31 Robinson may not be the man he was. Who is? the man asks. Yet he is still sufficiently skilled to win this one, if only because Maxim, even aided by a tremendous weight pull, doesnt have the equipment for the job. He is regarded as a superior boxer. Robinson is a great boxer. Maxim cant hit hard. He might as well have left his right at Grossingers, where he trained. Robinson bangs with both hands. Maxim at 30 is a slow-foot. Robinson is swift of hand and foot. Moreover, Maxim has never thrown a combination of punches, left, right and left again. Robinson throws left, right, left, right and, maybe, left again. Maxim may elude the first and second punch. He will be hit with the fifth one. The likelihood of a knockout is regarded as remote by men who know about these traumatic things. The price is 3 and to 1 against a knockout, yet there is the feeling here that pace will wear Maxim down to the point of deterioration. A most important factor in all this is Maxims relative inactivity. He has had the light-heavyweight title for more than two years. He has defended it just once, against a hambone name of Bob Murphy. Maxim Fought Four Times Last Year Last year, Maxim had four fights, including the one with Murphy. He was battered by Ezzard Charles twice and knocked out somebody named Hubert Hood in Indianapolis, which is where that one should have been hidden. He hashed only one bout this year, against Ted Lowry in St. Paul. Went 10 rounds with the guy. In the past 12 months, Robinson worked a dozen times. He lost his title to Turpin in this period. He also regained it. As recently as May 13, he went 15 rounds with Carl "Bobo" Olson in Frisco. In April, he knocked out Rocky Graziano in three rounds. He is a great fighters great fighter. Against this record of achievement Maxim offers the sloth of inactivity. If he were a bustling man disposed toward harassing the opposition by constant assault it would be another matter. Maxim cant even take advantage of ih-fighting. He is less adept at this than Robinson. There has been talk that Maxims jabs — he is remarkably efficient with this weapon — will cut up Robinsons previously slashed brows. Maxim isnt a cutting worker, however, and Robinson will move too fast to be hit solidly. Maxims height edge of one inch over six-foot Robinson will run for Sweeney. Whether it will be a match worthy of the anticipated 00,000 gross is another story. If Robinson elects to move and Maxim decides to stand still, it will be a brutal exposition for those paying 0 a ticket. Incidentally, 10,000 general admission tickets priced at each will be placed on sale at the Stadium at 6 p. m. the night of the fight. In only one regard does Maxim equate with Robinson. Each will receive 30 per cent of the net and the receipts from theater television. The bout will not be broadcast or telecast on open circuits. It will be carried over closed television circuit to 38 theaters in 25 cities. The EBC has been guaranteed 90 cents for each occupied seat and it is believed that some 38,000 persons will see the fight in the theaters. The weigh-in takes place in the lobby of Madison Square Garden at noon on Monday. In the event of a postponement, both fighters will have to weigh in again on Wednesday. This would pose a hardship on Maxim, who may have had difficulty getting down below the class limit. By winning the Ijght-heavyweight title, if he does, Robinson will lose the middleweight crown. The New York Athletic Commission has ruled that he must give up the lesser title immediately upon being declared winner. Hell settle for this.
