Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-06
SEES BEST BOXING
YEARS JUST AHEAD
Tommy Declares Not Having
to Reduce in Training
Has Helped.
By WILBUR WOOD.


n JEW YORK, February 6.-Sit
M with Tommy Loughran,
4 who is all-set for his brawl
with Max Baer at Madison
Square Garden tonight. Tommy
hands out some interesting con-
versation.
'Is it true that you are just
about washed up?" asked the in
terviewer.
"It is true that right now feel
that I have just reached my full
development and that should do
my best fighting in the next three
or four years." replies Loughran.
1T has taken me year and a half
to shake on the Ill effects of making
weight in my last fights as light
heavyweight with Walker and Brad
dock.
81 have never mentioned this before,
but I'm telling you I rather expected
to be knocked out by Braddcck. i
knew he was q puncher, and / knew
that I would be in weakened condition
when went into the ring, because
doctors had told me it was suicide for
me to try to make ITS pounds.
Weak Against BraddOck.
"You recall how bad was in train
ing. What you did not know was that
for SO hours before I weighed in for
that fight 1 had nothing to eat or
drink and that for two hours before I
stepped on the scales was in Turk
ish bath.
1T was q miracle that I won that
fight. How I got back enough strength
to stand of Braddock don't know yet.
It was Just q miracle. After the
twelfth round could hardly stand up.
But by that time he was all in him
self, so it made no difference.
IF YOU knew you were going 70 pe
weak at the weight and felt Braddock
had q good chance to fiatten you, why.
did you take the fight?" queried the in
terviewer. why didn't you resign as
Champion"
Tommy. II would have preferred TO
lose the title in the ring. ! have some
regard and affection for the game that
has been good to me and did not want
into a muddle by resigning.
Job to Get Title.
"when Delaney surrendered the title
there was a lot Of confusion. had an
awful time to win IL, and / did not
want to force the contenders 70 80
through all that again. tnougnI
Braddock had the best chance 70 peat
me, and that is why boxed him. OF
course, he had to beat me on the up
and-up. He couldn't do It,
After he failed to dethrone me,
realized that for me to box any longer
as 4 ligiit-heavyweight might ruin my
health beyond repair. Doctors told me
as much: told me that already had
done myself considerable harm.
To-day. after q year ana q nan, :
have fully recovered. Me0lcel sH 4.sr
nations have corroborated my own ioeas.
Really. I feel that today am stronger
'1 IourFan was asked to rate the
n thinf sharkey belongs on top he
~aid NEXT 70 him come Schemling
and Stribling. I rate them even up lor
second place. They stand out above all
what about Carnera9"
"Well, put him at the head OF sne
Baer, schaaf. Risko, Pauline and
Maloney do not belong near the top"
Leaves Himself Out.
SWhere do you place YOURSELF"
ssI1l lust leave myself out Of con-
alteration for the time being. II is up
"a me 10 prove where / belong. don't
want to try to talk myself into the top
rank like some Of them. Instead OF
taking myself in I intend TO fight my
way to a commanding position within
the next six months.
you say you don't rank Schaaf with
the leaders" said the writer, but
didn't he beat you tw1ce?"
Loughran laughed.
"Schaaf got the decision over me
twice, If that is what you mean" ne
replied. But he didn't beat me. ]
won all the way the first time they
cave Il TO him. It took so police an
hour to calm the crowd after that de-
cision. The next time should have
had no worse than Q draw. And every
body seems to have forgotten that got
. decision over him once In Boston.
"Just one thing more" persisted the
writer. what about Baer?"
I'm not going to talk myself up as
the winner of that fight" said Tommy.
"Just come up to the Garden and see
what happens for yourself. I'm going
70 let my gloves talk for me-"
Loughran looked about the same as
usual in the sparring drill that followed.
He never was an impressive gymnasium
worker. But evidently he has no doubt
about beating Baer. He fairly reeks
with confidence, despite his refusal 70
predict that he viii whip the Livermors
Larruper.