Turner Completely Confident of Taking Welterweight Title: Youthful Challenger Duels with Bossman Kid Gavilan, Daily Racing Form, 1952-06-30

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, Turner Completely Confident Of Taking Welterweight Title Youthful Challenger Duels 4 With Bossman Kid Gayilan In Philadelphia on July 7 By BARNEY NAGLER V Staff Correspondent NEW YORK, N. Y., June 28. Down in Pleasantville, N. J., where Ezzard Charles recently trained for an unsuccessful bid for Jersey Joe Walcotts heavyweight titlej another challenger worked out over the week-end completely confident of his ability to win a world championship. Said challenger, unbeaten Gil Turner, of Philadelphia, goes against welterweight bossman Kid Gavilan in the Quaker Towns Municipal Stadium July 7, on the eve of the Ail-Star game. "It dont mean I cant lose because Im confident," said Turner, a round-face lad with a toothy smile and an inordinate amount of energy within the ring. "But it dont do a man good going in there thinking any other way." Turner hasnt been beaten in 31 professional bouts. His rise has been meteoric. The 2.1-year-old lad is challenging for a world titleless than two years after quitting the amateurs. Most of his bouts have been fought in "Philadelphia, where he is regarded as the nearest thing to incessant motion since Henry Armstrong was around. Harrasses Foes to Point of Surrender Turner cant hit hard. His 25 knockout victims were harrassed to the point of surrender. He throws punches from the time the starting gate opens. Whether he can cope with Gavilans substantially wider experience and skill is doubted here, but down in Philadelphia they cant see Gavilan coming out of the ring with his crown intact. Philadelphia hasnt been as hot for a fight since Dempsey-Tunney back in 1926. Not, mind you, that this one will draw a million. Far from it. Promoter Herman Taylor, who is promoting this one in partnership with Jim Norris International Boxing Club, expects a gross in excess of 00,000. - Certainly, the gate will top the take for Walcotts successful, but unwarranted, stand against Charles in the same ring earlier in June. That one barely got over 00,000. This One will top it by at least 100 grand. When the first day tickets for this one went on sale in Philadelphia, 5,000 worth of pasteboards were retailed. In his relatively brief career, Turner has stepped over the forlorn forms of two ex-champions. Beau Jack and Ike Williams, both of whom held the 135-pound title, were knocked out by Turner. He also belted two standout welterweights, Bernard Docu-sen and Charley Fusari. These accomplishments won for Turner the New York Boxing Writers Associations award as the Rookie of the Year. Turner started boxing as the result of a visit to a police station in Philadelphia. He went there on a friendly basis this time, at least and walked into the cops gymnasium, where he proceeded to lace on the gloves. He turned amateur thereafter and won all 35 bouts among the alleged simon-pures. Now hes fighting for dough, on the level, and the big prize is before him.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1952063001/drf1952063001_2_4
Local Identifier: drf1952063001_2_4
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800