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The calculating International Boxing
Club, which has
thrived in the face of federal charges of monopoly, has
again
overcome a major obstacle. James D. Norris, the Doctor
Frankenstein of many-tentacled ring dynasty, has been
forced to retire a product of his own creation. For just so
long
as Rocky Marciano, an IBC and Norris derivative,
remained
as heavyweight champion of the world, there seemed
little
hope for the immediate monetary future of that
particular
division.
The president of the IBC was faced with
the
horrendous prospect of having a heavyweight king -
with no challengers. It is not as if Archie Moore
wouldn't fight Marciano. He has and would again.
But since Norris will only promote a sure-thing, and
since it is doubtful that a return bout between Rocky
and Moore would be a resounding financial success,
such a match was given something similar to the cold
shoulder.
Also very much in the picture is a young
man named
Floyd Patterson. The former Olympic champion is capable,
as fighters go, but he is being nursed along to the point
where
he will be of a respectable age when at last pronounced
ready
to tangle with the tigers of the business. His manager,
Gus
D'Amato, has been so careful in his selection of fights,
and
opponents, for Floyd that we have every reason to believe
that
his next foe will be no less an adversary than Grandma
Moses.
The rest of the heavyweight class, which
with
Moore and Patterson is actually highlighted by pedi-
greed light-heavies, is composed of a varied assort-
ment of freaks, fledglings and the fatherly. If you
like warriors on the king-size there's Bob Baker
and Nino Valdes, if you prefer them of an eccentric
nature there's "Hurricane" Jackson and if your
choice lies with the young there's Eddie Machen
and Johnny Summerlin. In an ancient vein there's
Johnny Holman, Bob Satterfield and Ezzard Charles,
if you'll pardon the expression.
Head octopus Norris, in his infinite
wisdom, was quick to
realize that he faced a predicament. The logical solution,
it
would seem, would be to select the most highly-regarded
of
the list of challengers, sign him for a title bout, ballyhoo
him
all over the universe and let it go at that. However, as
we've
said, Norris was doubtful of Moore's drawing power a
second
time, was stymied by the long range planning of
Patterson's
manager and was dead-scared that none of the other
alleged
aspirants would fool the public into paying.
It then seems as if an elimination
series, involv-
ing all the contenders, would provide the necessary
reputation for one to be considered the bona fide
challenger. Here again the cautious Norris proved
no gambler at all. Having knowledge of each fight-
er's ability and equipment, he realized he might
come out of such a competition with a winner such
as the aging Moore. Also, especially with Patterson's
position not too clear, the series showed signs of
flopping at Norris' favorite spot, the box
office.
The fly-in-the-ointment was Marciano.
While he re-
mained in the picture, even if on the sidelines awaiting
the
outcome of an elimination set, Norris feared little
enthusiasm
could be generated in favor of the plan to produce a new
champion or at least a worthy challenger. The public has
ac-
cepted Rocky as the undisputed king and past
performances
of most other hopefuls have not occasioned reason to
believe that any would ever be capable of dethroning the
Brockton Blockbuster.
Marciano, in spite of his tremendous
popularity,
realized that his only chance to make a reasonable
sum of money this year would be to fight Patterson,
but Floyd's manager is still beating the bushes in
search of has-beens and not-yets. Speaking of pilots,
Rocky Svengali, Al Weill, probably wouldn't even
bother to open the training camp at Grossinger's air-
port to make ready for a bout which didn't promise
a sizable reward.
The retirement of Marciano has attached
new importance
to every move of the Moores, Pattersons, Bakers and what
have you. There is now an attainable goal for each.
Archie
has already claimed the title, which is little more than
further
proof that the Gypsy is his own best press agent. The
IBC
faces the happy prospect of promoting at least two or
three
bouts which will have a direct bearing on the vacated
crown.
Besides, what is there to stop Rocky, say a year or two
from
now, from returning to challenge his eventual
successor?
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