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Show $ SPEAKING Of SPORTS ; By ROBERT McSHANE Released by Wtitem Ntwipaper Unl' AN AMAZING young fighter lost an equally amazing bout recently re-cently in New York's far-famed Madison Square Garden. The fighter was Steve Belloise. who dropped a 15-round match to Ken Overlin, New York-recognized king of the middleweight division. Belloise, a 21-year-old resident of the Bronx, had only 33 fights behind him when he stepped into the ring with the champ. Outweighed by five pounds, the Bronx contender clearly was the underdog. He employs a wide-open stance which veterans decry de-cry as risky. His opponent was a tricky ex-sailor who trouped the globe for years before he reached the top. Odds against long-shot Belloise were heavy. But before the evening was over the gamblers of Madison Square Garden saw visions of bankruptcy bank-ruptcy court. The fight started on an even keel with Belloise taking the first round by flailing away at Ken. In the second, Overlin got his bearings bear-ings and started shooting left jabs to Steve's face. Belloise took the next two and Overlin came back to win the fifth. Ihe Dig Chance The sixth round really got underway under-way when Steve hammered a terrific ter-rific right to Overlin's head. The navy man was stunned. Then Belloise Bel-loise followed with a whirlwind of punches that floored the champ. As soon as he was up Belloise belted him into the ropes, almost out of the ring, with a left. He was given no chance. That was midway in the round. Steve kept on top of Overlin and hammered him with rights and lefts to the head. At least 40 blows must i KEN OVERLIN have landed on Overlin in the round. But Belloise couldn't come through with the finishing touch. Then came the seventh. Overlin's legs seemed to have regained their snrlnir. Belloise seemed punched out. In his anxiety to finish his stricken opponent he had shot his bolt. There is no question but that lack of experience cost the young Italian lad the championship crown. The succeeding rounds awed even the old timers. Overlin, after taking brutal punishment in the sixth round, went on to win the next six in a row. It was in this stretch that he saved the New York version of his title. Belloise still was throwing leather, right up to the final bell, but he was facing a more elusive target, and his sixth round opportunity oppor-tunity didn't return. Unpopular Decision Overlin was given the decision, though it was far from popular. Belloise was the top man in the fight. He inflicted considerably more damage than he received. On the basis of who actually beat whom, Steve was the winner. However, that makes no difference differ-ence in the record book. According Accord-ing to commission rules the verdict was correct because Overlin won a majority of rounds. That's the way the commission instructs its referees ref-erees to judge fights. Even in questionable defeat Steve didn't draw all the sympathy. There was another angle. No champion ever made a more gallant comeback or a more courageous last-ditch stand than did Overlin. It was fitting fit-ting and proper that he be rewarded. reward-ed. Then, too, Belloise did himself inir the route. He's young, and there's going to be a next time for him. A little more experience and he can't miss. Belloise can take heart from the knowledge that neither of Overlin's predecessors grew stale in possession posses-sion of the title. Indeed, both titlists in the championship line created by the State Athletic commission Fred Apostoll and Ceferino Garcia lost their crowns in their first defenses. Overlin outboxed Garcia in 15 rounds last May and Belloise earned a 10-round decision from the Filipino in September. SPORT SHORTS The University of Pennsylvania football team didn't have a coach from 1876 to 1884. The captain was absolute boss in those days . . . Tennessee received $105,000 as its share of the Rose Bowl receipts in 1939 ... It is reported that the Philadelphia Phillies would be willing will-ing to part with Pitchers Hugh Mul-cahy Mul-cahy and Kirby Higbe for $150,000 . . . There were only two scoreless ties in the National Pro Football league in 1939 the Giants-Redskins game and the Brooklyn-Philadelphia oame. |