Tuesday, Sept. 25, 1962 University Daily Kansan
Page 7
Patterson, Liston Meet Tonight For Heavyweight Championship
CHICAGO — (UPI) — Champion Floyd Patterson meets Sonny Liston tonight in what is expected to be an all-time record $6 million battle for the world heavyweight crown.
Patterson, the "Good Little Man," will meet the burly ex-convict at 8:30 p.m. in Comiskey Park. Early odds had Liston an 8-5 favorite to capture the crown.
DRY WEATHER with temperatures in the 40s was predicted for the open air bout.
This scheduled 15-round bout between Liston and the smaller, faster Patterson of Scarsdale, N.Y., is expected to attract $6 million in total global receipts an all-time record for a fight or any other one-night entertainment.
Although light rains fell early last night, the prediction of dry weather "in the low 40s" for tonight, indicated top coats for men and fall coats for women spectators among the 35,000 or more at the White Sox baseball park, where a gross gate of about $600,000 was indicated.
LISTON, WHO motored into Chicago from his camp at Aurora Downs, Ill., last night, was delighted at the promise of very cool weather.
"Remember what I said in camp," he told friends. "If it's a cold night, I won't let the fight last very long."
Before Sonny's weather modification, he predicted a knockout over Patterson within five rounds. Now, he apparently figures on a quicker ending.
BETTING MEN have a confidence that is not shared by the world's sportswriters, assembled in Chicago in unprecedented number among the 800 reporters, photographers, operators, and television and radio men who will cover the fight.
In the wagering, Liston is favored at 8-5; but a sampling poll of 104 writers from the United States and foreign countries showed that 62 picked Patterson to win and only 42 favored Liston.
Liston, 28, is favored in the betting to achieve his 27th straight victory because of height, weight, reach, fist-size and maybe punch advantages. His 84-inch reach is the second longest in heavyweight title history. Ex-champion Primo Cararner had a reach of $85\frac{1}{2}$. Patterson's is only 71. And at six-feet-one, Sonny is two inches taller than the champion. Sonny's gloved 14-inch fists look like bowling balls.
SONNY IS expected to be the aggressor because of his physical advantages and to shuffle after the champion and to use his long left jab as a battering ram, setting him up for smashing left hooks or straight rights.
Title Fight Facts
CHICAGO — (UFI) Here are the facts and figures on tonight's Floyd Patterson-Sonny Liston Heavyweight Title Fight:
Title at stake-Patterson's World Heavyweight Championship.
Principals—Champion Floyd Patterson of Scarsdale, N. Y., vs. Sonny Liston of Philadelphia.
Distance—15 rounds.
Place—Comiskey Park, Chicago (outdoors).
Promoters—Championship Sports Inc., with Vice President Al Bolan acting as promoter in conjunction with Irving Schoenwald of Chicago.
Expected crowd----35,000.
Expected gates—Between $600,000 and $800,000.
Weather forecast—Fair and cool. Betting odds—Liston favored at 8-5.
Sports writers' poll—Patterson favored 62-42.
Time of main event—8:40 p.m.
First arrival time—7:20 p.m.
First preliminary-7.30 p.m.
Patterson's purse—45 per cent of net live gate (probably about $270, - 000).
Liston's purse—12½ per cent of net live gate (probably about $75,000 with a guarantee of $200,000 from all sources.
Promotion's share of live gate- 321 per cent
Closed circuit TV and other ancillaries -originally purchased by Graf, Reiner and Smith, Inc. of Los Angeles for guarantee of $2,000,000 to Championship Sports against 18 per cent of all net proceeds.
Closed circuit TV—Available to 1,010,000 seats at 271 cities in United States and Canada and selling what appears to be about 750,000.
Other ancillary revenue—movies
$200.000: ABC domestic radio—$321-
-
Expected gross proceeds from closed-circuit $4,500,000.
000; British radio, $56,000; other foreign radio to Canada, Sweden and South America, $60,000, Japanese radio, $6,000, Ireland's radio, $1,750—for an extra-ancillary total of $640,-000.
Total probable gross revenue from all ancillaries—$5,140,000.
Ancillaries plus live gate probably about $5,840,000.
Liston's $12\frac{1}{2}$ per cent of gate and promotion ancillaries expected to be about $400,000 (with $200,000 guarantee).
Twenty - seven - year - old Floyd, making his eighth defense in his 10th title fight, apparently is just as eager for tonight's battle as is Liston. Before he and his handlers drove into Chicago last night from his camp near Elgin, Ill., he reminded his men:
Patterson's 45 per cent of gate and $51\frac{1}{2}$ per cent of promotion's end of ancillaries expected to total about $1,700,000—largest purse in history to be paid over 17 years.
When purses and Graf, Reiner & Smith are paid — Championship Sports expects to wind up with about $1,100,000.
"Gee, I hope this fight is staged Tuesday night, exactly as scheduled. I just couldn't stand a postponement—I'm so eager to get that Listen into the ring—and finally earn the prestige I deserve."
PATTERSON'S manager, Cus D'Amato, did not want this Liston fight; but Floyd overruled him and told Tom And Al Bolan of Championship Sports, Inc., to make the match. It was a matter of pride with Patterson, who already is a millionaire.
Ku Ku Rush Smoker
Of course, Floyd does not scorn the probable $1.7 million he will receive from all sources for tonight's bout. Moreover, should his superior speed and devastating combinations with hooks fail to defeat big Sonny, they have a contract for a return bout within a year.
7 p.m., Wed.
Jayhawk Room
Union
Speaker
Dr. Forest C. "Phog" Allen
Sonny is guaranteed $200,000 for his efforts tonight; but his 12½ per cent of the promotion's net re-
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ceips should give him about $400,-
000. However, if he wins the title,
he receives only $50,000 and expenses
and puts the rest in escrow as a guarantee to give Floyd a return shot at the title within a year.
WEARING eight-ounce gloves, two ounces heavier than for most preceding heavyweight title bouts, Patterson will be seeking his 39th victory in 41 professional fights and his 30th knockout. He and Sonny have each scored nine quick knock-outs — within five rounds.
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