Show x 4 il B Will will Bt Bet 1 0 OO He Can n Mak Make 1 POl Mastro Refuses Chance to Fight Battalino Again Knee Injury Kept Champ From Front Making l Weight Manager lanager Says B By George United Press Correspondent I CHICAGO Jan 14 Christopher 14 Bat Battalino the boy no longer recognized os ns featherweight champion champion cham chain pion by the New r r- r r F York state athletic 0 o 0 om m in mission be be- I 1 ause he failed to to tomake t make the division division- j tl ii 1 weight limit In jn j l New tew York last Friday Fri Fri- 1 da day is willing to to wager he he can make pounds nine and 7 1 half one less than t he weighed five live l days doys ago Pete Rem Reilly co co- t s manager of the Hartford Conn said that fo 1 soy 0 today Battalino was willing will will- ing to post of his own money that he will wilt make the featherweight limit for his title bout with Freddie Miller 1 Cincinnati southpaw at Cincinnati January 25 Reilly came to Chicago to sign for Battalino to meet Earl Mastro in a return title bout but the Chicago challenger chal chal- lenger who failed ailed in an effort to lift Battalino's crown in the Chicago stadium stadium sta sta- sta November 4 turned down the offer Reilly then left for Cincinnati to o sign for a return bout with Miller defeated by Battalino in a title match July 23 STILL CALLED CHAMP lP Battalino is still recognized as IS featherweight champion by the National Na Na- ional Boxing association and by boxing box- box ing nc fans everywhere Battalino's willingness to fight and his five successful suc sue defenses of his title in a year and a half against Ignacio Fernandez Fernan dez Kid Chocolate Fidel FidelIa la In Barba Freddie Miller and Earl Mastro cant can't be C wiped out by an edict by one member mem mcm- ber bel of the New York commission Battalino's failure to make the weight limit for Cor his proposed bout with Lew Feldman in New York was caused by a knee injury which prevented prevented prevented pre pre- vented the champion from training according to Reilly Bl Battalino weighed 2 1 nine and a half pounds over the limit the afternoon of f his scheduled bout w with th Feldman The New York commission refused to o allow a postponement of the bout despite the fact that Battalino had a n doctors doctor's certificate that he had a bad knee IE lIE CAN DO IT Battalino weighed 2 1 for tor his bout with Mastro two months ago aeo and he has made the weight eight limit three times within a year and five I times In a year and n a half said I Reilly lie He can make it again He I would have made it for Feldman if the he New York commission had allowed al- al lowed owed him a postponement to recover from rom his knee injury Mastros Mastro's u unwillingness to meet Bat BatS I alino again is a story in itself When they hey fought in November many per per- sons ons left the Chicago stadium belle bellev- lag Ing ng Mastro allowed Battalino to rough ough h him out of the decision Even at the end of ot ten rounds of savage fighting only the difference of a knockdown b by Battalino permitted him to retain his title OH 01 YEAH Yet Mastro with a chance at the title and a big purse does docs not want wanto to o meet Battalino again Its It's not because be be- cause ause Mastro isn't game but because ics ic's taking dancing lessons and doesn't want to start training again until February Mastro has ambitions ambi ambi- ions for a sta stage e career and is being encouraged by his wife He may even retire from the ring soon None can doubt Mastros Mastro's courage in n the rin ring after alter seeing his two slash slash- ing ng tag battles with Bud Dud Taylor his game stand land a against the rough and tumble Battalino and other give and take struggles with Kid Francis Franci Eddie Shea Santiago Zorilla and Midget Mike ODowd |