view raw text
Moores Main Aim Shot at Rocky Olson Bout Puts L-H King on Spot Crowns of Three Divisions Involved in Wednesdays TV Battle of Champions By JACK CUDDY United Press Sports Writer NEW YORK, N. Y., June 18. In the years most significant fight, 38-year-old Archie Moore will defend his light-heavyweight crown against middleweight champion Carl "Bobo" Olson. Wednesday night, and try to clinch aSeptember shot at the heavyweight title. The crowns of three divisions are involved in this 15-round "battle of champions" at the Polo Grounds. An impressive victory by Moore, the 175-pound champ, unquestionably would make him the September challenger for Rocky Marcianos heavyweight diadem. But if ancient Archie cant beat Olson, the 160-pound boss, he must give up his yearlong pursuit of Marciano. m Olson, 26, is not risking his middleweight title in the nationally televised and broadcast fight. But if he wins Moores crown, Olsons middleweight championship will be vacated automatically and immediately under New York State rules. An elimination tournament would be held to determine the new 160-pound champion. A victorious Olson would not consider challenging Marciano for the heavy crown until 1956 because of their current weight differences. Accordingly, Big Bob Baker of Pittsburgh probably would get the September shot. 50,000 Gate Expected Promoter Jim Norris expects at least 25,-000 fans and 50,000-for the first light-heavyweight title fight ever staged in the New York Giants ball park. The TV-radio contract yields another 00,000, although the New York area will be blacked out on TV within a 90-mile radius. The ticket range is from to 0. Following the fistic axiom that a good big man can always beat a- good little man," Moore is favored at 7-to-5 over Olson. Bookies are offering 4-1 that Archie goes the distance, but only 2-1 that Bobo lasts the route. ; Moore a well-travelled "ring gypsy who now lists San Diego, Calif., as his home would be a much longer favorite were it not for the fact that he may be handicapped by age and weight-making. At 38, he is paring down from the. 196 pounds he weighed on May 2 against Nino Valdes to the light-heavy limit of 175. He claims he will have no difficulty because of a reducing secret he learned from an aborigine in Australia. Beat Maxim April 13 Some believe Archies melting-off process will weaken him for his fourth defense of the title. For example, Joe Louis said at Las Vegas, Nev., "Moore is killing himself to get down to 175 pounds, while Olson is ; building up. I pick the younger, stronger : Olson." But ex-champion Joey Maxim of Cleveland, who lost the title to Moore in 1952 and tried twice to get it back, declared: "Talk of Moores weight troubles is the J old phonus-balonos. Before our last fight at Miami, it seemed theyd have to carry Archie into the ring. But they nearly carried me out of it. He should win on a i Maxim is partially responsible for Bp-bos challenging Moore. Hawaiian-born i Olson of San Francisco registered his 21st t straight victory April 13 by outpointing ; Cleveland Joey, who was on the deck twice. 1 . ; : J i i t ; Bobo was so strong at 169 against Maxim, he decided to challenge. He expects to register about 169 again at the Wednesday noon weigh-in in Madison Square Garden. Olson figures his youth, speed and per-: sistent close-quarter attack will snap Moores winning streak at 20 straight. "Ill keep him so busy, his old legs will get tired," Bobo explained in camp at Asbury Park, N. J. But Archie is counting on his experience in nearly 20 years of professional fighting and his superior punch to win, probably by a kayo. Moore knocked out 81 of his 143 opponents. Lighter-punching Olson stopped 26 of his 69 during nearly 10 years as a pro. Moore was stopped four times; Olson, once by Sugar Ray Robinson. If Olson upsets Moore, he will be the second man in ring history to have won the middleweight and light-heavy crowns. The late Bob Fitzsimmons, who took the light-heavy title in 1903, also won the middleweight and heavyweight championships. A return-bout contract provides that a victorious Olson must grant Moore a title rematch within 90 days. However, its unlikely that a defeated Moore would want the rematch because of weight-making labors. Regardless of who wins Wednesday, Archie and Bobo will receive the largest purses of their careers at least 0,000 for Moore and 2,500 for Olson. Managing director Harry Markson of the I.B.C. says the fight "definitely" will be staged even if Moore fails to make the 175-pound limit Wednesday and causes a non-title bout. In such case", Archies title doubtlessly would be vacated by all boxing organizations. In case of rain Wednesday night, the fight will be postponed to Thursday. But if another postponement is required, the new date could not be Friday because of the Vince Martinez-Chico Varona TV bout at Syracuse, N. Y. The title fight probably would be shifted to next week. Meanwhile, rain Wednesday and Thurs- day nights would cause an innovation a TV-radio stand-by fight at Madison Square Garden Thursday night between middleweight Moses Ward of Detroit and Tony Anthony. Without two nights of rain, Ward and Anthony may never meet.
