view raw text
" » DeMarco Underdog in Title Defense Basilio Favored to Capture Welterweight Crown in TY Battle at Syracuse Friday SYRACUSE, N. Y„ June 4 UP .—Tough Tony DeMarco, who has owned the world welterweight championship only nine weeks, was an 8and-to-5 underdog today to relinquish the title to Carmen Basilio in their sold-out, 15-round bout at War Memorial Auditorium next Friday night. Basilio — rangy, hatchet-faced son of a Canastota onion -farmer — is getting his second shot at the title. The 28 -year-old challenger fought Kid Gavilan for the crown in the same Auditorium, Sept. 18, 1953. Carmen had the Cuban "Keed" on the floor, but the champion wound up with a split 15-round decision. "I know I beat Gavilan that night," said Basilio today at the midtown gymnasium where he is training. "This time, I wont leave any chance for a dispute. Ill go all out in every round — that DeMarco lasts." Stocky, black-haired DeMarco, 23, said over the telephone from his quarters at Kutchers Resort, Monticello, N. Y. "I expect to keep the title because Im sharp as a butcher knife, with two good fights under my belt this year. Im so sharp Ive been taking it easy lately. Todays five rounds will make only 47. Ill begin taking it a lot easier from tomorrow on." Must Defend Against Saxton "**r By a" verbal agreement, Fridays winner must defend within , six months against Johnny Saxton of Brooklyn, from whom DeMarco won the title on a 14th-round kayo at Boston, April i. There is no return-bout contract, but if Basilio wins Friday, the later-on Basilio-Saxton winner must in turn defend against DeMarco. Some tardy enthusiasts were offering 0 or more for good seats to this nationally televised and broadcast fight, which will be "blacked out" on home sets in the Syracuse area. Its the "hottest" fight ever staged in Central New York. All 9,400 seats in the Auditorium have been sold out since last Monday, and arrangements are being made to handle the overflow by special theatre-TV in the nearby State Fair Coliseum, seating 6,000. Auditorium prices ranged originally from to 0. Co-promoter Norman Rothschild said today, "the sold-out Auditorium alone will bring a gross gate of more than 15,000, a new record for Central New York. The home TV-radio fee is 0,000 and we may get 0,000 more from theatre-TV at the Coliseum." Rothschild is co -promoting with Jim Norris of the I. B. C. The Boston slugger, who has knocked out 25 of his 45 opponents, said he expected to weigh 145 pounds. He registered 145 against Saxton, April 1, and 142% when held to a 10-round draw by lightweight champion Jimmy Carter, February 11. The fight will be televised and broadcast over NBC networks at 10 p. m. EDT , but there will be TV blackouts in Syracuse, Rochester, Binghamton and Utica.
