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AT THE RINGSIDE By Barney Nagler The morning after he had knocked out Gene Fullmer in the fifth round to become world middleweight champion for an un ¬ precedented f o u r t n time Sugar Ray Rob ¬ inson went out to St Josephs Seminary in suburban Westmont to visit the students of Father Jovian Lang a teacher of French Sugar Ray was not ex ¬ pected to give the sem ¬ inarians a lesson in Gallic sweet talk al t hough chances are that he could do even this After the way he came back in the Chicago Stadium to take out Fullmer with a combination of rights to the body and a left hook to the jaw just about anything can be said and believed about Sugar Ray RayHe He is in the words of Julius Helfand the boxing buff a miracle man He is in the words of all others an amazing fellow who has skill and luck running as a parlay He should be through at 37 but he isnt and part of the latterday success achieved by Robinson can be ascribed to the way fate smiles upon him himFor For example Fullmer fought Robinsons fight not his own and suffered the slings of outrageous fortune fortuneA A A A AFor For example Robinson can now look forward to a gate in excess ol 500000 for a bout with Carmen Basilio outdoors in New York either in July or September SeptemberAre Are these the rewards of good living dnd an awareness of God Who can say Rob ¬ inson came out on the side of Faith after the fight in the presence of Father Lang and in the sight of God In a setting as remote from the spirit Robinson invoked his spiritual side It was as though he had been blessed especially while Fullmer had been forsaken forsakenIn In truth however Robinsons dressing room was mobbed not because of his ser ¬ monizing Indeed had he lost only those concerned with journalistic creation would have been on hand handAs As it was the joint was jumping and Sugar Ray was able to perform at his best He is the nearest thing to Billy Graham and the reference kind sir is to the man due at Madison Square Garden and not the retired fighter Instead of talking about the fight at length Robinson talked about the inner man manA A A A AIn In the ring earlier he had spoken with his skill He had by confession entrapped Fullmer until he had him opened up for the kill Spiritual Ray moved by the com ¬ passion he preaches belted Fullmer with the punches that told the story and got him out of there What had he done djf ferently in this fight to achieve victory in ¬ stead of the defeat handed him by Fullmer in New York in January JanuaryI I won wonDid Did Fullmers slow punches hurt you youNever Never felt them themDo Do you want to fight Basillio BasillioBoxings Boxings my business businessWhen When Basilio came in Robinson put his arm around the shoulder of the man who will help him earn a considerable sum some night in New York He posed for pictures with Basilio smiling broadly as he whis whisContinucd Continucd on Page FortySeven AT THE RINGSIDE RINGSIDEBy By BARNEY NAGLER Continued from Page Two pered into Basilios ear Lets make be ¬ lieve we enjoy this We dont do we weThe The next morning in the lobby of im Norris Bismarck Hotel Basilic chatted with a covey of fight writers writersWell Well youre going to make a bundle with Robinson Hows it feel feelGreat Great Basilio said But its going to be more than money for me You mean you dont like Robinson RobinsonTell Tell you I just had a newspaperman tell me that Im going to be the hero of the whole fight mob if I beat Robinson RobinsonIs Is that why you want so much to fight him No Ill tell you why Back in 1952 La ¬ bor Day week end Im in New York with my wife and Im walking down Broadway I see Robinson drive up in front of the Hotel Astor in his big car so I go up to i him I dont know whether Jie knows me although I feel all fighters have some ¬ thing in common So I introduce myself myselfHe He said hello didnt he Just barely Basilio said I never for ¬ get Me if a fourround kid comes up and talks to me I talk to him But not Robin son I got a sdore to settle with him himThen Then you dont give him credit for be ¬ ing a great fighter fighterI I give him credit for being what hVwas not what he is I saw openings last night Fullmer didnt take advantage of You cant give Robinson room Youve got to be in close on top of him all the time Ill do it when we fight fightHe He will too up at the Yankee Stadium under the stars And when it is over no matter how it comes up Basilio will genu ¬ flect and thank his God Sincerely
