Zora Folley vs. Alejandro Lavorante ~ May 11, 1961

[Bill Paxtom]

Thursday ~ May 11, 1961

Olympic Auditorium ~ Los Angeles, California

Zora Folley vs. Alejandro Lavorante

"Veteran vs. Youth, Clever Boxer vs. Power and Strength, Technician vs. Bomber"

Zora Folley {USA}
Age....... 30 years, 1 months
Height.... 6' 1"
Reach..... 77"
Weight.... 200 lbs.
Record.... 53-4-2 {30 KO's}
Rank....... #3

Alejandro Lavorante {Argentina}
Age........ 24 years, 7 months
Height.... 6' 3 1/2"
Reach..... 74"
Weight.... 206 lbs.
Record.... 12-1-0 {10 KO's}
Rank....... #10

The veteran Zora Folley is a {5-2} Betting-Favorite over Argentina's newest Boxing Hero.

Los Angeles Times Sportswriter - Jim Murray

Alejandro Lavorante is a handsome 'Gaucho' who has talent and a pretty fair left-hook. But his Manager
Paul 'Pinky George' must have a screw-loose to put this kid with only {13-Bouts} in the Ring with Zora Folley.

Zora who sometimes lacks the 'killer instinct', still comes out you like a Train. The 30 year-old veteran is a
clever boxer who knows all the tricks, and should take this Argentinian apart somewhere around the
6th or 7th Round.

I still have to ask, why would Pinky rush this talented fighter, when he could easily take a few more
bouts against B-Level opponents to gain experience. Zora is too clever to get caught by this hard hitting
power puncher.

Zora Folley >
"I'm a boxer, but I will step it up and out-punch this kid. I'll take the fight to him in the middle-Rounds.
I'll test him, to see how he handles pressure."

Paul 'Pinky' George >
"Alejandro will win by a spectacular Knockout. He has the hardest left-jab in Boxing. Zora is tailor-made
for him, as he stays straight-up and in front of you. My kid has a secret weapon called the 'Keyhole Punch".
It sneaks through the smallest of openings, and unlocks his opponents jaw."

[Bill Paxtom]

Thursday Night ~ Olympic Auditorium

Attendance ....... { 6000 }
Gate Receipts ... {$11,500}

For 5-Rounds, the veteran Zora Folley {200 lbs.} and the 'reed-thin' Alejandro Lavorante {206 lbs.} were
not exciting the crowd, as both fighters were overly-cautious and tentative.

Zora was wary of Alejandro's power, and Alejandro was looking out for Zora's straight right-hand counter.

The Olympic Auditorium crowd of {6000 } boo'ed and jeered both Heavyweight combatants throughout
the first 5-Rounds, as it was a 'dreadful fight' as neither fight took an aggressive stance.

In between the 5th and 6th Round, Referee - George Latka walked over to Zora Folley's corner and
told Zora that he was not acting like a Heavyweight Contender, and told the veteran to initiate some
action.

The Referee also went over to Alejandro's corner, and told the young Argentinian to 'pick-up-the-pace'.

Both fighters came out for Round 6 with some 'vigor', and both started to pick up the pace and exchanged.
The action was 'even' through the first 2-Minutes, then Alejandro started to get confident and opened up.

The fighters then exchanged good punches, until late in Round 6, when Alejandro caught Zora with a big
right-hand to the jaw that shook him. Alejandro then rained '6' consecutive right-hands to Zora's chin
and dropped him near the corner at the {2:40 Mark}.

Zora took the Mandatory 8-Count, and resumed. But Alejandro moved in and quickly landed another big
right-hand to the same spot on Zora's chin. Zora crashed on the seat of his pants against the Ropes
at the {2:56 Mark}. Luckily for Zora, at the 'Count-of-4' he was saved by the Bell.

Zora just barely made it to his corner, where he looked nearly out as he sat on his stool.

When the the Bell for Round 7 sounded, Zora expectedly came out 'gun-shy'. Zora moved a few steps and
jabbed, and then attempted a timid right-hand lead. Alejandro immediately countered, and came over-the-top
with a big right-hand to the jaw which dropped Zora again.

Zora crashed near his own corner. Bill Swift {Zora's Manager} snuck under the Ropes and put smelling-salts
under Zora's nose. Zora was able to get up at the '8-Count', and wanted to continue.

Alejandro moved in and set Zora up for the 'finisher'. The tall Argentinian then bombed Zora with '2' big
right-hands to the jaw dropping him a 4th-time.

Referee - George Latka did not bother to count, and called the bout over at {0:35} of Round 7.

[Bill Paxtom]

'UPSET ARTIST LAVORANTE NOW GUNS FOR PATTERSON'

Paul 'Pinky' George {Manager; Alejandro Lavorante} >

"We want Patterson next. My kid doesn't need any more warm-up fights. We're ready right now."

"I told you that he would score a 'spectacular' Knockout. I'm not surprised at all that he knocked
out Zora Folley. I expected it."

"My kid has the hardest left-hand in the Division, outside of Sonny Liston. And his right-hand is
the 'best' by far. Just ask Zora."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

George Parnassus {Fight Promoter} >

"We had wired Floyd Patterson with a Fight Purse offer of $350,000 to come out here to defend his
Title against Alejandro. Well, now I'm upping it to $500,000. There is now way in Hell that Patterson
can turn that kind of money down."