Kid Bassey Gets Nod Over Costa

NEW YORK, Oct. 31--Featherweight Champion Hogan Kid Bassey, a stubby warrior from Nigeria, dropped shifty Carmelo Costa twice on the way to an unanimous decision tonight in a non-title 10-rounder at Madison Square Garden. Bassey weighed 127, Costa 128 1/2.

Costa won the admiration of the crowd of about 2,500 by his game comeback after the two knockdowns in the third. He took an eight-count the first time and was on his feet but wobbly when the bell sounded at the count of nine.

Bassey made the big effort to flatten his Brooklyn opponent in the seventh when he staggered him with a left hook. Despite heavy punishment, Costa rallied enough to win the round on one of the official cards.

Charles to Petition

CINCINNATI, Oct. 31--Ezzard Charles, former heavyweight boxing champion, said today he regrets being suspended from fighting in Texas, but plans to continue fighting. He said he will ask that the suspension be lifted.

Alton Erickson, supervisor of the boxing and wrestling division of the Texas Bureau of Labor Statistics, announced Charles' suspension yesterday. It followed a six-round knockout of the Cincinnati boxer by Donnie Fleeman in Dallas Monday night.

Charles was slow moving and generally ineffective against Fleeman, who is Texas light heavyweight champion.