Woodcock May Fight Joe Louis

Chronicle (Levin), 4 December 1948, Page 7

Woodcock May Fight Joe Louis

Reeeived Friday, 8.50 p.m. LONDON/Dec. 3. It how appears to be generally agreed by fight promoters 011 botli sides of the Atlantic that if the British heavyweight champion, Bruce Woodcock, beats the American, Lee Savold, at Harringay on Monday the leading American proiuoter, Mike Jacobs, and his British opposite numbcr, Jack Soio monsy who are in a business partner-' sliip, will ensure that Woodcock ia given the next world title * challenge ' light against Joe Louis. It is even suggested that Louis may agree to come to Britain to defend his title. Britain lias becorue very popular witli American prof'essional boxers, chieriy due to the good returns they liave earned froni recent figlits in this eouu-. try, and even American conimentators concede that Louis might liuil it worth his while to come to Loudon. Few British boxiug writers are prepared at thfc prescnt stage to venture deiin'ite predictions about the result of Monday night's' big figlit. Most of them wrote Woodcock off so delinitely when beaten by Baksi that they cannot now espouse his chances against Savold too enthusiastically without runniug the i'isk of being remimled of their earlier cominents. Woodcock, for his part, is reported tc take a poor view of boxing writers and hus had little to say. lie is down to his best iigliting weight — 13st. 101b — and has been trainiug very harct against a strong team of sparring partner. s at Dom-aster. Woodcock is well aware that Monday nigiit's fight will make or brealc liim. He cannot risk another major defeat whereas a win against Savold will almOst certainly enable him to realise his life ambition to figlit for the world championship. Savold is a different type from Playboy Lee Oma, whose dcfeat by Woodcock was oue of the biggest fiascos in British boxing history. Savold has been training at Eastbourne and boxing writers who have watc'hed him working out agree that he is extremely fit and a dangerous opponent for the British champion. His in-lighting is particularly strong and i his most powerful punch is a left hook which has starred his record vvith knockouts. 1-le is, however, vulnerabie to long straight lefts in which Woodcock specialises. He.is very fast 011 his feet in which he appears to have the advantage over Woodcock. England's First Rugby Trial. Contrary to precedeuts England's first Rugbv Union trial game of the season piayed at Northampton lasi weekend proved to be an excellenimatcli. Ln previous years it has usually been a patchy and unsatist'actory exliibition, but ou this occasion it was piayed in a robust spirit and disclosed that England's selcctors this season! will have a lot of uset'ul new material | j with which to experiment. The two best backs on the ground I were the Yorkshire and Eugland stand- j off lialf, N. M. Ilall, who is;„«,already being picked to captain England this year, and the Cornishman, It. I). Kea nody, who piayed cppositc Ilall. The two packs, which ineluded onJy four Tornicr internationals, were both stron'g* and developed souie excellent open play. The two. New Zealauders, Kimberley (Cambridge) and Stewart (Oxford), were not eligiide for this trial. Racing Review. Kacijig writers, >:reviewiug the flat racing sea^oiH which has now closed, " ' agree that 'th'O outstandiug feature ot the season: was the consis.tent success in all the important middle and distance races of horses with a c'ross of imported blood. Other poinls were tlie poor class oi' three-year-old lillies and the almost jnvariablc failure of horses w-ideiy publicised as liot favouriles. Among lliis vear's three-year-old colts Blaek Tarquin is generally seiected as outstandiug. Soccer Championships. 'Competition is extremely close on tlie upper rnngs of tlie championship tables in botli the first and second divisions of the English .Soccer League. Derby County at prescnt heads division oue lulile with 28 points, followed l).v Portsmouth and Newcastie, who,, botli linve 26. and Manchester United,..Arscnal and Stoke Citv who all have 23. West Bromwich and AlTiion with 27 points are at the head of division two,

foltowpd by Tpttinluun Hyfijpul: witli 24, Southampton \vith 23 aiid Eulham with 22. , Hiberuian are lea'dlng in tlie Scottish I League division AV but "Dundee, who have piayed ■ tlifee; feVrer games, are only t\vo points liehind them. Criticism of M.C.C. Team. South African conuueUts upon ihe M.C.C. side at pmseirt playing in tlia! 'XfduftCry aM ' Wtf/* nfTjted.- ' Sonie Soutli Africans describe tlie team as tlie vveakest bowling side 6\'er sent overseas by the iM.C.C. On the- other liaml cricket writers acconipanyin'g the M.C.C. 's'ide agree that the standard of South African cricket this season is lower tlia.ii it has. beeu for some timo. T-his they ascribo to the increasing use hi South At'rica of liard rolled 'May pitclies instead oJ niatting pitches in ■■which the nuijonty of South Africa's -most dependabfe batsmen were trained. Cla.v pitclics, they complain, give very little .assistance to the bowlers.