Ring Romance.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 261, 4 November 1933, Page 2 (Supplement)

Ring Romance.

Light-weight Champion's Fathet Killed by Gangsters. Eight years ago on the West Side of Chicago, where gangs gathered and life insurance was a laugh, a curly-haired Jewish lad came home one dav to hifather's delicatessen store. As he neared it, no doubt he whiffed the appetising odours that were borne down the street on the breeze —Pumpernickel and pickled herring, liverwurst and limburger, sauerkraut and salami.

They were all familiar aromas that he knew and loved, but as ho turned to enter the door another odour pierced his nostrils. That was familiar too but he didn't like it. It was the smell of gunpowder, and there, lying on the door, was his father, dead,' riddled by the guns of gangland.

If this had been another lad of the neighbourhood he probably would have loaded a gun and started out with murder in his heart, for it was the custom of that section of Chicago to avenge a murder with a murder. Youn» Bernard Bosofski started lighting, but with different weapons.

There was his mother to consider. He wouldn't do her any good in gao{ And there were his two little brothers! They had to be fed, and someoi e had to get the money for the food. So young Bernard Bosofski started usui* his lists. He used them so well that he now holds the lightweight chain. pionship of the world, having beaten Canzoneri for the second tome in Philadelphia, on yeptember 11. He fi"hts professionally, as you may have guessed under the name of Barnev Boss.

Somewhere back in the darkness when he met Canzoneri under the bright lHits that shine only on the ring, was Barney's mother. Next to her was one of those kid brothers he fought to feed. Thev went from Chicago to sec him defend his title.

"I don't know where they sat," Boss said as he told of his start in the business of boxing, "but they get there. Mv mother never tells me "where she will sit. I don't even know where she "cts her tickets. I remember one time though, when I suddenly saw her in the middle of a round and turned niy head to look. Just as I turned my opponent swung and missed me by a fraction of an inch. Maybe she saved me from netting knocked out."

Boss didn't start making championship money when he launched his career as a fighter. Indeed, he fought as an amateur for several years. 'And I only brought home ten, twenty, maybe fifty dollars at a time the:!," he said innocently. Apparently he considered himself an amateur until he was paid off in three figures.

"I always had two fights every time I got a match," he explained, "one with my opponent and one with my mother afterwards. She found out that I was fighting and refused to take what I earned. Each time, though, I would argue her into it. You see, we didn't have anything else and we had to live."

The two younger brothers had been placed in an orphanage after the death of the elder Rosofski, because the widow and the oldest son were having a difficult time feeding two people, but BarneyRoss continued to win. Soon after he -was graduated from the amateur ranks, having won the Golden Gloves title at his weight, he was able to get his brothers out of the home.

He beat Billy Petrolle, and on the strength of that success he got a match with Canzoneri, then champion of all the lightweights. On June 23 of this year he beat Canzoneri, and now he is champion of the world. Barney Ross broke a precedent in defending his crown so soon after having acquired it. HOW TUB RIVALS COMPARE. R°ss. Canzoneri. 23 Age 24 334 pounds Weight . . 132 pounds ;;'_ ft 'in Height sft s|in GiJ Reach 60! Hi :..Xeck !...'...15 JIJ Bleeps 13J > 1 Forearm 11 l _ Wrist r '■'•'< Chest (normal) 3(1 :i ~i Chest (expanded) 30 20 Waist 311 10J Thigh 10 13 Calf 132 0 inkle 91