Liston Favourite To Retain Title

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30190, 23 July 1963, Page 22

Liston Favourite To Retain Title

(N^P-A.-Reut«r— Copyright) LAS VEGAS, July 22. The world heavy-weight champion, Sonny Liston, confident and impressively fit, and his challenger, Floyd Patterson, both rested today ready for their 15-round return title bout tonight , x

The impassive-faced, massive Liston it a 5/1 favourite to repeat his Chicago knock-out of Patterson in his first title defence.

Not even the- smaller Patterson is bold enough to say he thinks he can win. He acknowledges Liston is ■•rugged” and merely says he hopes fortune will smile on him at the indoor Las Vegas Convention Centre. Patterson, the only heavyweight champion to regain the title (from Sweden's Ingemar Johannson). lost the crown to 30-year-old Liston m September last year in just over two minutes of the first round. Church Visit Patterson went to church last night and was spending the time until the weigh-in taking long walks and resting Liston was in seclusion. Most of the experts think Liston will win by a knockout in three to five rounds.

A hard-working forward in the Albion under 6 stone B team is 13-year-old CoUn Cloudesley. Colin plays in the back of the scrum and besides being a hard runner when he has the ball ’he is also a very sound tackler.

The Christchurch club’s junior second division team ended the first round of its competition on Saturday in second place. It has won eight and drawn one of its 11 games; on Saturday it had a convincing win against Burnside. The team's main strength is in its backs, but its forwards are improving.

Placing emphasis on fast, attractive back play, the Linwood under-18 team has given several good displays this season and is only half a point behind the leading side. New Brighton. The team's chief strength is in its backs, of whom Bruce

Meaclem, the centre, has been the mainspring.

A young Bumside forward who gave a fine display of line-out play at Bumside Park on Saturday was Malcolm Smart. He plays for the 'Bumside under 7st 71b team.

John Dalzell, who showed ability as a fast bowler in the Christ’s College first eleven, is also a capable footballer. Playing at first fiveeighths for the Christchurch junior second * division team, he has shown himself to be fast on attack and a good handler. He has developed a good combination with David Webber (second five-eighths) and Andrew Tuhaka (halfback), who is the team’s leading scorer.

Peter Robertson, first fiveeighths for the Merivale under sst 71b A team, kicked intelligently and accurately against New Brighton. In a close match won by Merivale, his coolness was the main reason for Merivale’s win. Ron Murphy, the team’s No. 8. gained two good tries by following up kicks, and was close to the ball for all of the match.

The half and captain of the New Brighton under sst 71b A team, Julian Johnson, has been the key player for the team which, although not win-

and some even predict a repeat of his September knockout of an inept Patterson. Both boxers passed their final medical examinations

impressively yesterday. Two doctors of the Nevada State Athletic Commission said they gave Liston's left knee a thorough test and found "no sensitivity." An injury to the knee caused a postponement of the fight when it was originally fixed for Miami Beach in April. The doctors also found that an injured finger on Patterson's right hand had completely healed. He had suffered the injury in May. Liston expects to weigh 15st 41b—-the same as in Chicago—when he steps on the scale in the Gold Room at the modernistic Convention Centre this morning. Patterson, who has been keeping his weight up with hard foods, expects to weigh

ning many matches, has a good team spirit. In a match against Merivale, which it lost, 11-8, he ran and passed well and had good support from Graham McDowell, a lock, who tackled very soundly, and Michael Stratford.

Greg Fearnley. a son of the former Canterbury and Linwood prop, M. A. Fearnley, is playing well in the front row of the Linwood under sst 71b A team. A hard worker in the line-outs, he was never far away from the ball in a match against Marist which Linwood won easily to take the lead in the competition.

Two of the most accomplished players in the Hornby under sst 71b A team are Peter Denevan, first fiveeighths, and Brett Hamilton, a lock. Possessing a good pair of hands and an accurate kick. Peter dictated play for Hornby, which is leading the competition, in a match against Shirley. A good jumper in the line-outs, Brett led the Hornby forwards to good effect in the second half of the match.

13st 121 b. He was only 13st 81b in Chicago. 20-dollar Tfcketa A close-to-capacity crowd of 8000 will pay from 10 to 20 dollars to see the fight, which will also be piped by closed-circuit television to 143 locations.

An estimated 60 million radio listeners are expected to tune-in to a ringside broadcast in North America and an untold number around the world. The fight may finally gross around 2,000,000 dollars, in spite at early predictions that it would be a promotional flop. Both Liston and Patterson get 30 per cent, of all receipts and are assured of about 300,000 dollars each.

Patterson has trained with a burning dedication for this fight, stung by implications that he was scared in the first fight and mortified by the disgrace of his first-round defeat.

His pride, some feel, may again be his undoing. He says he will start fast and try to mangle Liston, but many experts think his only chance is to use his speed and make the slower Liston work to c&tch him. Patterson’s Promise “I won’t run,” the popular challenger said a f&w days ago. "There is no pressure on me and I* can relax and fight the way I feel. As the champion, he must make the fight.” Liston has said he expects Patterson to use evasive tactics and has trained accordingly.

Observers have seen little evidence of Liston working on his speed in. the ring. He has sparred only once in weeks preceding the fight, although that was impressive. He has concentrated on reflexes, punching power and

strengthening his stomach muscles to the hardness of wood.

The big-name former champions here to report the fight, including Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano, are firmly for Liston.

Liston has won 24 of his 35 professional fights by a knock-out and lost only once —when his jaw was broken in a bout in 1964. Of his 13 fights since November, 1958, he lias won 12 by knock-outs. Patterson, a year younger than Liston, has won 29 of 41 bouts by a knock-out and lost three times. He was the youngest to win a heavyweight title —two months short of his twenty-second birthday—and the only man ever to regain the title. The fight will be scored by the referee and two judges on a five-point "must” system, with the winner of each round getting five points and the loser a lesser number.

Both' get five points for even rounds. A mandatory eight-count will be in effect after knock-downs.