Hide Article Text (OCR)
By JA$K HANDGREENWOOD LAKE, N. Y., July 12.-—(AP) In this quiet lakeside retreat, swarthy Rocky Marciano prepares for the fight of his life—a bout that could open the way to the heavyweight championship of the world.(3' Bronzed from the bright sun and(trained to a trim 187, the pride of Brodkton, Mass., can’t help lookingpast his July 28 Yankee Stadium date with Harry Matthews toward champion Jersey Joe Walcott, inSeptember. The winner probablywill get the big prize.Ever since the day Marciano came out of the Army to take up fighting as a career, his eyes havebeen set on the heavyweight crown.First it was Joe Louis. Then it was Ezzard Charles. Now Walcott.He knocked out Louis last winter to burst into the top ranks of the heavyweights. Now he wantsWalcott most of all.Still Unbeatenc3\1lt;ll]ii11lJ]IiMatthews, a rugged test, stands in the way. But Marciano, unbeaten in 41 fights, is confident. No more i1 confident than he would be against Walcott. For this 27-year-old ex-Glbelieves deep down inside that hecan whip anybody in the world.“Matthews and I trained at -thesame CYO gym once,” he said. “He was getting ready for his fight withBob Murphy. That’s the only time I saw him.But I watched him fight Murphy on television. He’s a good fighter. Knows what he’s doing. And he can hurt you.There is no doubt about it. This is THE big one for rugged Rocky with the broad shoulders tapering down to a slim waist and heavyI *ttftunderpinning.-d ,ido.Seeks Walcott Bout“Marty Weill (Rocky’s manager)is coming in Monday,” said Marciano, “to talk about signing forM i .....Walcott Sept. 8. First I have to getm ! over this one. But I want to fightle Walcott more than anything in the world.“I like to fight. To some fighters ^ i it’s just the money. Sure, I want e ; the money. That’s the most im-! portant thing of all. But I like to nt I be in there. I fought anybody, ariy-j time before I ever thought ofih-41ntofe-erikadr* oney.When I was a 10-year-old kid I al fought a 14-year-old kid from the it j neighborhood in my own backyard. They stretched a canva’s over the clotheslines and we went 10 three-n.inute rounds. Al (Al Colombo, his trainer) was the matchmaker.’’ he Marciano says his near-fatal 11- fight with Carmine Vingo was his toughest. Vingo was carried from the ring on a stretcher and hovered between life and death for several days before he pulleu through.Rocky is quick to admit that Lee Savold “made me, look bad” last winter in Philadelphia — his first start after his sensational knockout of Louis.“He never hurt me,” said Marciano. But he sure made me look bad. He’d get away from priy heavy punches and I’d just miss him. But this will be different.”ngrgrgnehen-edhelisrst
Newspaper Details
Bridgeport Sunday Post
Bridgeport, Connecticut, US
Sun, Jul 13, 1952
Page 35
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
GB 26 Feb 2022
Other Publications Near Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport Evening Farmer
Bridgeport Republican Farmer
Bridgeport Post
Bridgeport Telegram
Bridgeport Sunday Post
