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DeMarco Underdog in Title Defense Challenger Basilio Rated 8-5 Favorite Pair Swap Punches Tonight In Fifteen-Round TV-Radio Go for Welterweight Crown ! By JACK CUDDY United Press Sports Writer SYRACUSE, N. Y., June 9.— Carmen Basilio, fiery left-hooker from a nearby onion farm, will try to win the world welterweight title from Bostons Tony DeMarco Friday night in one of those rare bouts in which the champion enters the ring an underdog. On the eve of the scheduled 15-round title match at War Memorial Auditorium, raw-boned Basilio was favored at 8 to 5 because of his combined boxer-puncher skill, his greater experience and his ruggedness. - DeMarco, 23, has held, the 147-pouhd # championship only nine weeks. However, the odds may tighten by fight time, according to sportsmen in the jammed lobby of the Onondaga Hotel. DeMarco is expected to be heavily supported by New Englahders who were at the Boston ringside on April 1, when tough Tony took the title from Johnny Saxton on a knockout in the 14th round. This is the "hottest" fight ever staged in Central New York. New regional rec- How They Compare DeMARCO BASILIO 145i4 lbs. Weight expected 146 lbs. 5ft.5V£in. Height 5 ft. 7 in. in. Reach 67. in. 37i4in. . Chest 36V£in. 39Vandin. Chest expanded 39 in. 29M in. Waist 29 in. 16 in. Neck 15 in. 20% in. Thigh 20 ?4 in. UYz in. Calf 13% in. 9M in. Biceps 13 in. 714 in. Wrist 6% in. 12Min. Fist 11 in. 15 in. , Forearm 154 in. ords of 9,100 fans and 17,000 will be rolled up for this nationally televised and broadcast match, which was a complete sellout within 24 hours after tickets were put on sale. Fight time is 10 p. m. EDT. Because of the Central New York TV blackout, the fight will be sent on a special theatre-TV. circuit into the nearby State Fair Coliseum, where 6,000 are expected to pay 1,000. The regular television and radio receipts will add 0,000 to the boxers purses. The champions purse should approximate 2,200; Basilos, about 1,100. Thats mighty fine pay for non-heavyweight battlers in a comparatively small city. It will be 28-year-old Basilios second shot at the crown. He challenged Kid Gavi-lan on September 18, 1953, in the same Syracuse Auditorium. He had the rugged Cuban on the floor, but Gavilan wound up with a split decision. Carmen was unbeaten in 11 bouts since then although held to two draws. He has been the top contender every month, but he was by-passed for other contenders by both Gavilan. and Saxton. There is no return-bout contract in case Basilio beats the wild-hooking champion tonight. However, there is a verbal agreement under which Fridays winner must defend against ex-champ Saxton of Brooklyn within six months. If Basilio beats both DeMarco and Saxton, he must defend later against DeMarco, in round-robin fashion. Co -promoters Norman Rothschild of Syracuse and Jim Norris of New York are not parties to the verbal agreements. It is a deal among the three managers. Basilio, who started boxing when in the ,U. S. Marines 10 years ago, has had 62 professional fights, but only one this year. He outpointed Peter Mueller of Germany on January 21. His 44-11-7 record includes 20 knockouts. He was never stopped. DeMarco registered 25 knockouts in his 45 bouts. He was stopped twice — by Art Suffolatta 5 in 1950, and by Chick Boucher 4 in 1951. His record is 40-4-1. DeMarco, who flew in today from his training camp at Monticello, N. Y., said he expected to weigh about 145 Basilio, who trained at the Main street gymnasium in Syracuse, should register 146.
