THE COCKNEY CHALLENGER

Most Britons who so cheerfully put up a few bob on the outcome of the boat race were not prepared to back a native son seeking the world's heavyweight title at San Francisco, even at 6-1 odds. Like his countrymen of 300 years ago, Don Cockell came to "the colonies" to make his fortune and like many of the early settlers he was ill equipped for the task. A flabby 205-pounder, Farmer Cockell is built more along the lines of one of his prize boars than the superbly muscled fighting machine deemed necessary to win the title from the almost indestructible Rocky Marciano. Before the fight the 26-year-old Cockell lost a bitter round to the California ring officials who decreed a 16½-foot ring—to the dismay of the Briton who preferred a 20-foot ring. The challenger also suffered the low rating of American newspapermen and was given up for lost by most British sportswriters who visited the Marciano camp. To nobody's surprise, Rocky Marciano stepped out of the ring still world heavyweight champion.

PHOTO

PROPHETIC SIGN HUNG OVER LOSER COCKELL AS THE PAUNCHY CHALLENGER CAUGHT A GLOVE WITH HIS CHIN DURING SPARRING SESSION