Archie's Rocky Road

Slimmed down from his normal bulk to a trim 175, Light-Heavyweight Boxing Champion Archie Moore was a good big man, able but ancient (38). Up from 160 Ibs., to an overblown 170, Middleweight Champion Carl ("Bobo") Olson, 26, was a good little man, ambitious but amenable. One steamy evening last week, 27,431 fans plunked down $206,784 at New York's Polo Grounds to learn whether Challenger Olson, no knockout specialist, could outlast 2-to-1 Favorite Moore. After 19 hectic years in the ring, 143 professional bouts, Moore had already designated (in paid newspaper ads) his target for Bout No. 145: Heavyweight Champion Rocky Marciano.

From the first bell Archie moved purposefully toward Target No. 144, despite the fact that Challenger Olson's jabs and hooks took the first round on points. In round two, Moore set the pace, unlimbered his 8-in. edge in reach, stung Olson with a hard jab, left uppercuts --the beginning of the end. After only 1 min. 19 sec. of the third round, Archie shot a walloping right, then two paralyzing short left hooks to Olson's jaw to deck Bobo cleanly for a count of ten.

Later, on the fringe of the hubbub in jubilant Winner Moore's dressing room, bigtime pugilism's Monopolist James D. Norris, boss of the International Boxing Club, held court. He allowed that a heavyweight title match, Moore v. Marciano, this fall was not such a bad idea.

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