Ali still favored to beat Wepner

Not in peak condition

and overweight but ...

CLEVELAND (AP) - Muhammad Ali, not at peak condition and at one of the highest weights of his career, is still fa- vored to beat Chuck Wepner tonight and retain the world heavyweight cham- pionship he took from George Foreman in Africa.

Ali showed up Sunday at the Coliseum, site of the fight, about three hours before the nationally-televised weigh-in and shadow boxed four rounds and skipped rope for two.

When he stepped on the scales, he weighed 2232 pounds. He has been heavier, but it's the most he has ever weighed for a title bout. He scaled 227 when he fought Buster Mathis in 1971 and 226 when he beat Mac Foster in 1972.

"Look at me now," Ali shouted at ABC commentator Howard Cosell. "You tell everybody how fat I am, but look at me now."

The champion had weighed 225 after aturday's workout.

But although Ali boasted about his weight being lower than many observers had thought it would be, he has said during workouts here that he is not in top condition. However, he said, he's in good enough shape to beat Wepner because, "I wouldn't train for him like I would for George Foreman, Joe Frazier Norton."

Professional oddsmakers agree that Ali is ready enough. Nevada bookies haven't even made a betting line.

The 35-year-old Wepner, a liquor salesman from Bayonne, N.J., scaled 225 for his long shot at the title. Wepner ap- peared at the weigh-in in a red, white and blue robe with the "e" missing from Bayonne and smiled while Ali shouted and waved his fist at him.

It also was announced that Tony Perez, a veteran New York official, would be the referee. The judges will be Jackie Keough and Sam Taormina.

It had been reported, that Pete Rademacher of Medina, Ohio, would referee the bout, but he apparently was not satisfactory to the two fighters.