May Fight Again

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31333, 1 April 1967, Page 15

May Fight Again

GV.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright) CHICAGO. The world heavy-weight boxing champion, Cassius Clay, is considering a title defence against Floyd Patterson in Detroit on April 25—three days before his scheduled call-up for military service. His manager, Mr H. Muhammad, said a Detroit promoter, Mrs Jean Wilson, had offered Clay a 250,000-dollar guarantee to meet Patterson, whom Clay stopped in 12 rounds in a title bout at Las Vegas, Nevada, on November 22, 1965. Patterson blamed his defeat! in their earlier fight on a i back injury he suffered ! in the early rounds. Mr Muhammad said this gave Clay a special reason for wishing to meet Patterson again. “He doesn’t want the public to think he beat Patterson because of a sore back.”

Clay’s lawyers still say they hope to block his April 28 call-up by court action. Clay’s request for exemption from army service on the grounds he is a practising Muslim minister was turned down by his local draft board, the state appeals board and the presidential appeals board. All his appeals to various courts against the conscription ruling also have been rejected. Patterson, knowing he might get another chance to fight Clay, knocked out the unranked Bill McMurray in the first round at Pittsburgh yesterday. Patterson dropped the Californian for a short count with a left hook and then knocked him out with a left-right combination. Patterson said after the fight: 'Tin ready to meet Clay. Any date is agreeable to me.”