A Partial Eclipse of the Sonny

[professordp]

DETROIT DAILY EXPRESS
March 3, 1957


Moore Given Title Ultimatum-
Defend It Or Lose It!

Hans Reuter, President of the Universal Boxing Organization (UBO), has issued a formal warning to world light heavyweight champion Archie Moore that he must defend his title by June or it will be declared vacant by the governing body.

Moore has been campaigning in the heavyweight division since losing to current heavy champ Floyd Patterson last November, and has not defended his light heavyweight belt since this past June when he stopped
Yolande Pompey in ten rounds.

Last month, Moore who is one of the top contenders for the heavyweight crown was removed from the division's rankings by Reuter. The UBO still lists Moore as its light heavyweight champion.

The UBO, which became professional boxing's sole governing body this year, requires that every title be defended a minimum of four times a year and bans fighters from holding more than one title.

In his official statement, Reuter said, "Archie Moore's failure to defend his title in nearly nine months is in direct violation of our rules. The UBO has granted him an opportunity to come into compliance with our regulations, but he has given us no indication that he has any plans for a title defense in the near future."

Reuter's action was prompted by Moore's scheduled heavyweight contest against Coredell Jones which will be held in Pittsburgh later this month.

"Mr. Moore must make a choice," Reuter declared, either he defends his light heavyweight title by June or we will strip him of the championship."

In response, Moore charged that Reuter and the UBO are interferring with the freedom of boxers to make personal career choices. He launched a targeted attack on Reuter.

"Hans Reuter was supposed to be the savior of boxing when the UBO was formed. He's nothing but a power-seeking dictator, and he's ruining the fight game. We were much better off without him and the UBO."

When pressed, Moore refused to give any indication as to his plans to defend the light heavyweight championship.

"I'll decide what I decide to do when I want to decide it!"


Below:

Hans Reuter, President of the Universal Boxing Organization

[professordp]

HOUSTON COURIER-NEWS
March 7, 1957


BESSMANOFF BESTS HARRIS IN TEN

by Ronnie Michaels

Willi Bessmanoff successfully turned back a rally by local favorite Roy Harris to pick up a split decision last night at the Houston City Auditorium before a crowd of more than two thousand vocal fans.

For the first four rounds, Bessmanoff confused Harris with his unorthodox style and defensive skills. Working a very efficient jab, Bessmanoff appeared much quicker than his opponent and mixed up his attack with a variety of punches to the head and body.

Harris was frequently off balance as a result and was unable to mount any sort of consistent attack until the later rounds. By the end of the third round, Harris's face began to show the result of Bessmanoff's accurate, snapping jabs. His right eye stated to swell and two rounds later Bessmanoff opened under the balloning orb.

After being dominated for the first half of the contest, Harris took on a more aggressive strategy and started to score with right crosses that were set up by stiff jabs. As Bessmanoff began to tire, Harris was able to land more punches, and it appeared that he might be able to pull out victory after his slow start.

But by the tenth round, Harris was pretty much spent and plodded round the ring throwing few punches that mostly missed their mark. Bessmanoff was content to hold for a good part of the frame, but landed enough punches to even the round up on all three judges' cards.

When the decision was announced, it was greeted with boos and catcalls from the crowd, despite the fact that Bessmanoff pretty much gave Harris a boxing lesson.

Judge Ray Duncan scored it for Bessmanoff 98-93 and gave Harris only two rounds. Mike McClure also saw it for Bessmanoff but by a much closer margin, 96-95. Tom White came up with a score of 96-95 in favor of Harris.

For the twenty-three year old Harris, who hails from nearby Cut and Shoot, this was his first loss in nineteen pro fights and a big disappointment. He had hoped that a big win would push him up the division standings.

Bessmanoff, who recently immigrated from Germany and now makes his home in Milwaukee, upped his record to 36-6-7 with the win. After campaigning as a light heavyweight for several years, it appears that Willi might soon be facing some high level heavyweight talent in the near future.

[professordp]

LONDON EXPRESS
March 9, 1957


ERSKINE EDGES LONDON
By Reg Curtiz

In a classic match up between slugger and boxer, a crafty Joe Erskine took a majority ten round decision from tough Brian London. The crowd at Wonderland Arena was highly partisan and cheered London on throughout the contest but offered polite applause when the Welshman Erskine was announced the victor.

From the opening bell, it appeared that Erskine's hand speed and elusive footwork would be too much for Brian. For the first two rounds, Erskine snapped his jab to set London up for stinging combinations.

However, in the third, London started to mount an offensive. He was able to work his way inside where he frequently mauled his opponent. London cut off the ring in the fourth round and forced the Welshman to fight him toe-to-toe.

Although London got the best of Erskine in the round, he might have exerted a little too much energy in the process. As the match progressed, he appeared to tire and often was a stationary target for Erskine's jabs and combos.

By round six, the accumulation of jabs began to take their toll on Brian as his right eye began to swell. Yet he did continue to inflict some damage on Erskine whom he nailed with inside uppercuts. At the end of the match, the swelling of Erskine's face was a clear indication that he was in a brawl.

Both men appeared to be spent in the final two rounds. Much of the sting had gone out of Erskine's jabs and his pace around the ring was much slower. London sort of lumbered slowly around the ring but with heavy arms was unable to surmount any sort of sustained attack.

When the cards were totalled, Harry Egan scored it 97-93 for Erskine. Walter Sinclair also gave the nod to the Welshman at 97-95. Jimmy Clarkson saw it as a 96-96 draw.

The twenty-three year old Erskine will meet Empire champion Henry Cooper in a June title match. Cooper who won the Commonwealth crown last month by stopping Joe Bygraves was set to meet Ingemar Johansson for the European title belt, but the talks feel through. His record now stands at 30-0-1. Already ranked worldwide, Erskine should move up in the standings after this victory.

London, who is the son of former Commonwealth champ Jack London, suffered his second loss which takes his record to 15-2. His only previous defeat was at the hands of Cooper last year. Brian still has a future ahead of him despite the loss. He's only twenty-two and keeps himself in top condition. And he's a real crowd favorite!

[professordp]

WORLD BOXING REVIEW

March 1957

Ringside Report:

PATTERSON STOPS JACKSON IN SIX

By Skip Bailey

In his first title defense heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson scored an impressive six round TKO over number one contender Tommy "Hurricane" Jackson. The two had met last year in a twelve round title eliminator which saw Patterson take a split decision win over Jackson.

This time there was no question over which of the two is the superior fighter. Patterson was just too quick of hand and foot for Jackson, who tried his best to establish an inside attack throughout the contest.

For the first two rounds, Hurricane tried in vain to cut off the ring and work the champion into the corner. Patterson was able to force Jackson back with his accurate jabs and sharp hooks to the head and body.

By the third round, it appeared that Jackson had solved the Patterson puzzle and began to work his attack at close quarters. He hurt Floyd with several uppercuts which set up hard crosses. He had Patterson hurt midway through the frame and when the closing bell rang, a puffiness around the champion's right eye could be discerned.

Between rounds, Patterson's manager Cus D'Amato made some adjustments, and his fighter began greeting the incoming Jackson with well-placed uppercuts to the head during the fourth. Still, Jackson was able to get inside and hurt Patterson with uppercuts of his own.

This pattern continued throughout the fifth round. At the start of the sixth, Jackson continued to be the aggressor. After Tommy missed with a wild right, Patterson nailed him with a hard left hook that set up a precision right which put Jackson down at the 1:40 mark.

Although Jackson was up at six, he wasn't fully recovered. Sensing his opponent was in serious trouble, Patterson began to pour it on, and the Hurricane offered no resistance causing referee Art Mercante to call a halt to the contest at 2:14.

Patterson, who had been fighting as a light heavy only a few years ago, came in at a sold 184 lbs and appears to have blossomed into a bona fide heavyweight. His record is now at 32-1-0 with his only loss at the hands of former light heavy champ Joey Maxim.

Within the next week, Patterson's camp will be required to announce the name of his next opponent. Most likely he'll be facing Harold "Hal" Carter who will certainly replace Jackson as the number one contender in the Universal Boxing Organization's ranking which will be issued later this month.

A quick survey of the rankings suggests that despite his number one ranking, Carter might be Floyd's safest choice. There's a crop of younger ranked heavyweights like Ingmar Johansson and Zora Folley who could give the champ a very tough fight. Of course, Patterson's next defense would have to be approved by the UBO, but since Carter would appear to be the top contender for the crown, there should be no problem getting UBO sanctioning.

For Jackson, the loss will result in a drop in the rankings. How much he drops depends on how other fighters in the division have fared before the ranking period closes. I expect to see him falling to the fourth or fifth spot. Hs record is now 29-6-1.


WILLIAMS SCORES THIRD ROUND TKO OVER DANIELS

On the undercard, Houston's Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams had little trouble dealing with veteran Frankie Daniels. After measuring Daniels during the first round, the Big Cat's claws came out.

To Daniel's credit, he tried to make a fight of it. Both men opened up in the second round, and Frankie shook Williams with a hard right cross. Unfortunately for Daniels, Cleveland was only stunned momentarily and came back with some crippling blows to the body and the head.

When the bell rang for the third, Williams appeared intent on taking his man out and began an all-out assault that overpowered Daniels. After being blasted by just about every power punch in Big Cat's arsenal, Daniels was out on his feet and the bout was stopped at the 2:29 mark.

Although he's only twenty-four, Williams has been fighting as a pro since 1951 and holds a record of 33-2-0. Given his size and power, he seems to have a bright future ahead of him and certainly commanded the attention of the boxing world with his demolition of Daniels in a major venue.

In the past, Cleveland has been plagued by poor management. He was a last minute replacement and faced Bob Satterfield who gave him a terrific beating over the course of three rounds two years ago. He now has a new team of handlers who will undoubtedly help him realize his great potential.


(For more coverage of major fights this past month, please go to Bailey's Beat on page sisteen).

[bigMatt]

Originally Posted by professordp

WORLD BOXING REVIEW

March 1957

Ringside Report:

PATTERSON STOPS JACKSON IN SIX

By Skip Bailey

I was at the fight and took some pretty cool ringside shots:

[professordp]

Thanks for the camera work!!!!

Makes it all the better!

[professordp]

WORLD BOXING REVIEW
March 1957

Bailey's Beat
by Skip Bailey

Will He Come Back?

The rumor mill is rife concerning the possible return of Rocky Marciano to the ranks of professional boxing. With a young, developing champion, the top challenger in prison, and the general turmoil in the division, the time would seem right for Rocky to stage a comeback.

It's been not even two years since Marciano hung up his gloves so there's not too much ring rust to scrape away. He won't turn thirty-four until December and appears to have kept himself in shape. A few months in the gym and Rocky should be ready to roll. And need I mention that there's a lot of money to made if Marciano seeks to reclaim his crown?

Still it may not be so simple. The Universal Boxing Organization's (UBO) rules mandate that only a top five ranked boxer can fight for a world title. This means that Rocky would need to have several fights against top contenders to qualify for a title shot. At best it would take another year for Rocky to satisfy the UBO's dictates.

Of course the big question is what will Rocky gain in the end should he return? He retired undefeated (the only heavyweight champ to do so) with a perfect 49-0 record and left at his peak. Judging from his many business ventures, Marciano's not in need of a big payday. Finallly, he's a humble sort of guy who doesn't have a big ego to satisfy.

All that said, we should know more within the next few months. Stay tuned!


Heavyweight Roundup

Hall Upsets Baker

Marciano's former sparring partner, Toxie Hall, scored a major upset by taking a unanimous ten round decision over number three ranked Bob Baker. Hall came into the fight sporting an unimpressive record of 13-13-4 and was expected to be an easy night for Baker.

At the end of the night Baker and the crowd at New York's St. Nick's Arena got a major surprise. Two of the judges had Hall winning seven of the ten round while a third scored the match 6-4 in Toxie's favor.

From the opening bell you got the sense that there was an upset in the making. Hall hurt Baker with an uppercut early in the round and scored effectively by hooking off the jab.

Thing really started to go downhill for Baker in the third. Toxie, who is not know as a power puncher, swarmed the unsuspecting Baker and scored a flurry of blows that put Bob down for an eight count at the round's 1:20 mark.

For the next five rounds, Hall's defensive skills and ability to keep Baker away with the jab allowed Toxie to build up a big lead.Hall's faster hands and fancy footwork prevented Baker from setting up any sustained attack.

Late in the seventh round, an accidental head clash opened a cut over Toxie's right eye. The blood flow continued intermittently for the remainder of the contest, but Baker was unable to turn things to his advantage.

Looking nothing like a top contender, Baker is likely to slide down the poll in this month's rankings. His record now stands at 45-9-1, and given the quality of the division's emerging young talent, it's doubtful that he'll be able to regain his hight ranking.

The upset gives Toxie a boost but far from what's needed to put him in the top ten. Nevertheless, he should be able to get fights with a higher caliber of competition and enjoy some decent paydays.


Folley Flattens Satterfield in Fourth

Along with Baker, ring veteran and top ten contender Bob Satterfield will also experience a sharp drop in his ranking after being knocked out in four by the talented Zora Folley at the Stardust in Las Vegas.

Folley, who has not yet reached his prime, is being heralded as the division's best fighter. Current champ Floyd Patterson might beg to differ. Zora took Satterfield apart in a methodological manner for three rounds before putting him away at 1:55 of the fourth with a hard right cross.

Satterfield turns thirty-four soon was totally out-classed and looked like shop-worn merchandise. He was once a top light heavyweight, but that was years back. He just has not been able to make it in the heavyweight division and would be wise to hang up his mitts.

Where this victory takes the number eight ranked Folley is the subject of considerable speculation. I think he'll be in the top five in this month's rankings. He could be less than a year away from a title shot.


Machen Picks Up Lopsided Win

Like Zora Folley, Eddie Machen is young, skilled, and represents the division's future. Unlike Folley, Eddie is rather dull to watch and seems uninspired in the ring. Case in point was his recent ten round win over young Ernie Cab at the San Diego Coliseum.

For ten rounds, Eddie fought a picturebook fight. He was accurate, he jabbed, he hooked, threw combos, and fired uppercuts. He even knocked his opponent down for an eight count in the ninth round. Despite being a native Californian and fighting before a supportive crowd, Machen was less than emotive during the contest.

Machen suffered his first loss earlier this year by dropping a decision to Harold Carter. Although obviously more talented than Carter, Eddie lost the bout as the result of indifference. Carter's a good fighter, but he's not that good.

If Machen is to make his mark in the future, his handlers need to build a fire under him.


Valdes Derailed by Cut

Cuban heavyweight Nino Valdes suffered a severe setback to his latest effort to restore himself as a contender after he suffered a six round TKO at the hands of Johnny Summerlin.

Sadly for Nino, he was giving Summerlin a sound beating for five rounds, but a cut suffered in the first round turned into a deep, nasty gash in the sixth round. After Mike Matthews took Valdes to the ringside doctor at the midpoint of the sixth, the bout was halted.

Summerlin was taking a real pounding from Valdes, and it was unlikely that he would have made it to the end of the fight. When the cut reopened and the blood began to pour, Nino tried to take Summerlin out but at that point the damage was just too severe.

Valdes is thirty-three and had an up-and-down year in 1956, winning four fights and losing three. With the infusion of a crop of young talent in the division, it seems that Nino will become little more than a trial horse for the remainder of his career.

The end of the line seems to be near for Summerlin despite the fact he walked away the winner. Johnny's pushing thirty-six and looked out of it during the enitre fight. He's also not been too impressive in his previous fights.


The Grapevine

Euro champ Ingemar Johansson pulled out of talks for a defense against new British champ Henry Cooper. Major issues appeared to have been the purse split and the venue. Ingo will defend his title next month against German Heinz Neuhaus who is ranked number one by the European Boxing Union.

Speaking of Cooper and British boxing, there's plenty of talent accross the pond. Besides Henry there's Joe Erskine, who will face Henry for the British crown in May, Dick Richardson, and Brian London, all of whom could give the Yanks in the heavyweight division a ton of trouble. The British are coming!

Archie Moore continues to be a thorn in the side of UBO president Hans Reuter. Reuter recently told the Old Mongoose that he has to defend his light heavy crown soon or lose it. Archie seems to be playing for time, but Hans is getting impatient.

Houston's Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams impressed ringsiders at the Patterson-Jackson match when he demolished Frankie Daniels in a preliminary bout. The Texas Boxing Commission is pressuring state champion Roy Harris to defend his crown against Williams next monthe. Word has it that Roy's handlers are resisting. Can you blame them?

See you next month!

[professordp]

UNIVERSAL BOXING ORGANIZATION
Heavyweight Division Rankings
March 1957

Floyd Patterson, Champion

1-Harold Carter

2-John Holman

3-Zora Folley

4-Tommy "Hurricane" Jackson

5-Ingemar Johansson

6-Eddie Machen

7-Bob Baker

8-Henry Cooper

9-Joe Erskine

10-Willie Pastrano

[djday45]

Really loving this.

[professordp]

HOUSTON COURIER-NEWS
April 2, 1957


WILLIAMS STOPS HARRIS IN FOUR

By Tommy Silver

The fast hands and fleet feet of Roy Harris were no match for the raw power of Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams who lifted Harris's Texas heavyweight title with a fourth round TKO at the Houston City Auditorium last night.

For the first two rounds, the boxers fought somewhat evenly. Harris used his superior hand speed and footwork to pop the more stationary Williams with jabs which set up the occasional hook and combination. The Big Cat, however, landed the more telling blows and hurt Harris several times.

Williams became more aggressive as the third round opened, and Harris's jab failed to keep Cleveland off-balance and at bay. As the round progressed, Williams scored blistering uppercuts and hooks which set up a right hand blast that put Roy down for an eight count with the clock reading 2:40.

Although Harris was up at two and survived the remainder of the round, the effects of the knockdown stayed with him into the fourth. Sensing that his opponent was still in trouble, the Big Cat stalked Harris around the ring systematically punishing him with power shots to the head and body.

Harris offered virtually no resistence at this point and ceased to mount any sort of attack by the 2:00 mark. Thirty seconds later, referee Chip Atkins had seen enough and called a stop to the contest.

The loss was Harris's second straight. Last month, he dropped a decision to Willi Bessmanoff. Roy, who hails from nearby Cut and Shoot, is popular with local fans and was seen by many as a hot prospect in the heavyweight division. Given the severity of the beating he received from Williams a number of his former boosters are having second thoughts about his future.

The Big Cat demonstrated his awesome power for the second straight month. In March he totally demolished Frankie Daniels in a Patterson-Jackson undercard contest and attracted considerable interest in the boxing community.

Williams has a commodity that is pretty much in rare supply today in the heavyweight division--raw, lethal power. Now that he's the Texas state champ, he has increased his capital in the boxing world. He might be a fight or two away from entering the top ten.

[Mad Bomber]

This is great so far, and thanks Matt for the great ringside photos, as it is always nice to have a great cameraman at ringside.

[Bronx Bomber 15]

Marciano vs. Clay! I am looking forward to that one if you go that direction. A 38-39 year old Rock vs. a young 20-22 yr. old Clay could be interesting.

Maybe Rocky vs. Sonny depending how things go for the Rock over the next year or two..."if" he comes back that is.

[professordp]

Originally Posted by Bronx Bomber 15

Marciano vs. Clay! I am looking forward to that one if you go that direction. A 38-39 year old Rock vs. a young 20-22 yr. old Clay could be interesting.

Maybe Rocky vs. Sonny depending how things go for the Rock over the next year or two..."if" he comes back that is.

That could be a tough order to fill! Rocky fighting at 39 might not be a pretty sight for his fans. Also I have Liston doing a five year jail term.

I'm pretty much using Dean's revised ratings (see the Day Council thread in the Mods section) which I like very much and seem to be pretty accurate. Dean recently provided a "comeback" version of Rocky that I've tested. Take a look at it and you'll see that he sort of loses quite a bit at age thirty-four. Stretching him out another five years might be too much to expect. If he were to make a comeback, I don't know if we'd want to see him become a punching bag.

Right now a successful comeback would center around him taking care of guys like Patterson, Johansson, Folley, Machen, and Cleveland Williams. No light fare there!

But thanks for your comments! All I can say is I'll so my best. If the Rock does comeback and makes it to 1962, you might very well see him in the ring against the Louisville Lip. And beyond that, he might try to tame the Bear!

Anyway, I'm in the first year of the simulation (1957) which will conclude when Liston fininhes his time in 1962. A lot can happen in the next five years!!!!

[Bronx Bomber 15]

I had my math wrong with the Liston term. For some reason I had him out in a year (?).

I was just hoping "out loud" with the Clay fight The Rock has more immediate work to take of before he gets that far down the road, if he comes out of retirement.

In any case, it's shaping up nicely.

[professordp]

Originally Posted by Bronx Bomber 15

I had my math wrong with the Liston term. For some reason I had him out in a year (?).

I was just hoping "out loud" with the Clay fight The Rock has more immediate work to take of before he gets that far down the road, if he comes out of retirement.

In any case, it's shaping up nicely.

You never know with the Bear--he might get parole with good behavior!

And since you mentioned Liston, shortly there will be an interesting story surrounding his situation---Hint: Cus D'Amato plays a role in it.

[David Ball]

The Marciano and Moore subplots, and there are hints of one surrounding Patterson as well, all show that the path to unification may be more complicated than it seems.

I mean, the UBO may (or may not) have the best intentions, but in the end, who is going to have more credibility with the public, the never defeated heavyweight champion of the world, if he wants to come out of retirement, or some German guy in a suit? (and a former SS officer, for all we know)

Likewise, if Patterson is dethroned, will he have less credibility than his successor, who will have gained the title exactly as Patterson did, by beating a lot of fighters but not the reigning world champion. I see the possibility of a future in which Rocky Marciano is heavyweight champion of the RMO (the Rocky Marciano Organization), Floyd Patterson is champ of the FPO and Harold Carter or somebody is UBO champion. Which of them will have the most credibility? My money's on the Rock, until somebody beats him.

To avoid manipulation, you have to bind the champion by rules, but the rules themselves are subject to manipulation and no matter how wisely they're drawn up they won't cover every contingency.

[professordp]

Originally Posted by David Ball

The Marciano and Moore subplots, and there are hints of one surrounding Patterson as well, all show that the path to unification may be more complicated than it seems.

I mean, the UBO may (or may not) have the best intentions, but in the end, who is going to have more credibility with the public, the never defeated heavyweight champion of the world, if he wants to come out of retirement, or some German guy in a suit? (and a former SS officer, for all we know)

Likewise, if Patterson is dethroned, will he have less credibility than his successor, who will have gained the title exactly as Patterson did, by beating a lot of fighters but not the reigning world champion. I see the possibility of a future in which Rocky Marciano is heavyweight champion of the RMO (the Rocky Marciano Organization), Floyd Patterson is champ of the FPO and Harold Carter or somebody is UBO champion. Which of them will have the most credibility? My money's on the Rock, until somebody beats him.

To avoid manipulation, you have to bind the champion by rules, but the rules themselves are subject to manipulation and no matter how wisely they're drawn up they won't cover every contingency.

In the interpretation of the U.S. Constitution there's this concept of "ordered liberty". Seems like an oxymoron in some respects. But similar to the existence of the UBO, it somehow works and allows considerable benefits with minimal sacrifice.

So that's part of the reason why the UBO came into being. Your point is an important reminder for me. It's now time to give a full accounting of why the UBO came into being, its powers, limitations, problems, and purpose. Best way I can think of doing all this is a Skip Bailey interview with UBO head Hans Reuter--but I need to throw one more little piece of intrigue in before I go there. By the weekend, this will all be revealed.

BTW, I really appreciate your observations. You've sparked my imagination in several directions. Please check in and comment on a regular basis!

[kenyan_cheena]

You've made a great start with this thread, professor. The various plotlines are enthralling and I can't wait to see how this plays out.

[professordp]

New York Daily Register
April 5, 1957

PATTERSON MANAGER SEEKS PERMANENT BAN FOR LISTON

By Matt Stark

Cus D'Amato, manager of heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson, has formally petitioned the Universal Boxing Organization (UBO) to permanently ban boxer Charles "Sonny" Liston from future title bouts.

Liston, who was a ranked contender, was convicted of assualting a police officer last year and is currently serving a five year prison term in Missouri's state penitentiary. He could be granted parole within the next two years.

D'Amato's petition charged a potential Liston championship would have a negative effect on the image of professional boxing. In the petition, D'Amato made the followig arguments.

"The heavyweight champion is one of the most visable figures in the world. The person who holds the title is a univeral role model for our youth. To allow for the possibility that a person convicted of assaulting an officer of law to wear the heavyweight crown sends the wrong message to children and goes against the traditional values associated with the championship."

The petition went on to cite the specifics of Liston's past and referenced previous problems the boxer has had with the criminal justice system.

"Sonny Liston," D'Amato concluded, "may be a fine fighter, but he lacks the moral qualities to represent out sport as the heavyweight champion."

The UBO was formed last year to provide rankings in each of boxing's weight divisions and to sanction championship contests. It could not ban Liston from boxing, and it is unclear if it has the authority to ban any boxer from championship competitition on moral grounds.

Boxing observers contend that D'Amato, who has previously been at odds with UBO president Hans Reuter, is using the petition to extend Patterson's hold on the championship and to undermine the authority of the UBO.

Skip Bailey, a columnist for World Boxing Review offered the following assessment.

"D'Amato's one of the primary reasons the UBO was formed. When Patterson won the championship last year, there was a general fear that D'Amato would avoid putting the title on the line against top contneders.

"Before he went to prison, Sonny Liston was generally viewed as the best fighter in the heavyweight division. D'Amato was able to manipulate the rules to keep Liston out of the elimination series to determine the new champion after Marciano retired. It's obvious that he wants to permanently eliminate the greatest threat to Patterson's title."

When UBO president Reuter was contacted, he declined to comment on the substance of D'Amato's peitition and did not specify when the organization's governing body would act on the motion.

[professordp]

EURO SPORTS REPORT
April 10, 1957

Ingo Stops Neuhaus in Five

By Valter Meers

Gothenburg, Sweden.

European heavyweight champion Ingemar Johansson pounded his way to a fifth round TKO over Heinz Neuhaus. Neuhaus, who won the German national title last year, put up a game fight but was unable to avoid Johansson's thunderous right hands.

After a cautious first round, "Ingo" as he is called by his Swedish fans, opened up on the German and rocked Neuhaus with numerous rights. To his credit, Heinz somehow remained on his feet for the first four rounds.

One of Europe's more skillful boxers, Neuhaus adopted a stick and move strategy but failed to maintain any sort of a counter offensive to slow Johnasson down.

An accidental head clash midway through the fourth almost changed the course of the contest. After butting heads during a close exchange, Johansson suffered a cut on his right eyelid. As the blood began to flow, Ingemar moderated his attack.

Between rounds, Ingo's corner stopped the bleeding, but at the two minute mark a Neuhaus hook off the left jab reopened the cut and turned it into a serious wound. With Johansson's face covered in blood, referee Paul Savard halted the action and escorted the Swede to the ringside physician.

When the action continued, Johansson apparently sensed that the bout might be stopped as a result of the cut and unloaded a series of well-targeted right hands.
With about thirty seconds remaining in the round, Neuhaus dropped to the canvas. Although he beat the count, Savard recognized that the German was in a poor condition and wisely stopped the match a 2:26.

In the final analysis, the thirty-two year old Neuhaus was no match for Johansson. If the truth be known not many current heavyweights would have survived such a barrage of punches.

Johansson was less than impressive in his last fight two months ago against former world champ Ezzard Charles whom he decisioned in a ten rounder. This time, Ingo lived up to his advanced billing and demonstrated once more that he has awesome power in his right hand.

Although he's only twenty-four, Ingemar's already ranked among the top ten heavyweights in the world. Insiders say that he'll finish out the year against Europe's top compeition and will make serious bid for a title shot in 1958.