Salt Lake Telegram | 1942-09-11 | Page 25 | Zivic's Manager Asks for 'Stand-In' Champ

Sports Parade Parade- j cs c's s Manager Asks For Stand In Stand In Champ Champt By JACK CUDDY NEW YORK Sept 11 UP UP-Fritzie UP title non 10 round victory over World Welter Champion Fr Freddie Cochrane gives the loud pedal to one of the major questions in war time sports Shall we have stand in champions in the boxing divisions divisions divisions di di- visions in which titleholders are unable to defend because of their 4 war assignments manager plump Luke Carney resurrected the issue with great gusto immediately after Veteran Fritzie Fritzle had won the unanimous decision over redheaded red head ed Cochrane of the navy before fans at Madison Square Garden last night in an overweight overweight overweight over over- weight match Carney said Cochrane won the pound title from a year ago last July and enlisted in the navy al almost almost almost al- al most immediately although the I United States was not at war warthen then Cochrane had a contract with us to give a return title shot but he never did No Title Bout At last he gave this return return re re- re turn bout but bout but without the title at stake stake and and thousands of fans saw Fritzie lick him by a wide margin If the bout had gone the championship distance of 15 rounds Fritzie would have kayoed kayoed kay kay- oed Cochrane I dont don't believe anyone anyone anyone any any- one in the Garden would disagree with me on that statement because because because be be- cause Cochrane was out on his feet in the round So So-I'm So Im I'm going to claim the title for until such time as Cochrane can defend it That is until the war waris waris waris is over or the navy department permits Cochrane to make a title defense Carney said he would take the matter up immediately with both the National Boxing association and the New York commission emphasizing these facts 1 1 That had return title bout contracts with Cochrane 2 2 That Cochrane had been ordered ordered or or- dered by the navy to report immediately immediately im immediately im- im mediately to Pearl Harbor Hawaii Ha Ha- Important Ruling Carneys Carney's proposal is important because the war department last week gave the green light to wartime wartime war war- time boxing by sanctioning a re return return return re- re turn title tilt between Joe Louis and Private Billy Conn in New York York probably probably Yankee sta eta on on Columbus day Oct 12 The green light was the bright bright- est beacon to shine on street Jacobs' Jacobs beach since beach since war was declared For it indicated that top-strata top army officials recognized recognized recognized boxing shows as helpful to civilian morale as well as stimulating stimulating lating the combative spirit of the millions of men in uniform To add zest to tossing leather-tossing boxers must have something to fight for because none of them are getting much money since most shows shows particularly particularly those involving involving in in- tn- tn service men men are are for benefit benefit benefit ben ben- of the various war And with the champions of the four top divisions already in service service service- Louis in the army Light Heavyweight Heavyweight Heavy Heavy- weight Champion Gus Lesnevich in the coast guard Middleweight Champion Tony Zale in the navy along with Welter King Cochrane those those titles may be taken out of play at any moment Gus Misses Fight Tight Carney recalled that Lesnevich the light heavy king was training training training train train- ing for a title defense not so long ago when suddenly his furlough was canceled and the fight was called off Carney proposes that proper inquiries inquiries in in- be made to determine if a champion in service will be permitted permitted permitted per per- to defend his crown within a reasonable time And if he cant can't then let a stand-in stand champion champion champion cham cham- pion rule the division until the thereal thereal thereal real champ can defend For that reason Carney now claims th the welterweight crown for or or at least the stand in championship while the genuine genuine genuine gen gen- ruler of the pound di division division division di- di vision Cochrane heads for Pearl Harbor