The Washington times., 1938-02-23
LOUIS 81 CHOICE.
TO RETAIN TITLE.
AGAINST MAN N.

(COnt. from First Sports Page)
ramifications Of blowing UP" a
prize fight. In other words, Mike
says there's absolutely no truth
in the report Louis will give Mann
q 60-day lien on the champion
ship. Strictly on the up-and-up
says Mike. and he should know.
Meanwhile, undiSturbed by the
inuendoeS and intrigue, both Louis
and Mann reported in top shape
for their 15-round battle at Madi-
son Square Garden tonight.
KAYOES TWO MATES
For the first time in his career,
the Buddha-like Brown Bomber
was irritable before an important
bout. The 23-year-old ex-auto as
sembler from Detroit, via the clay
banks Of Alabama, promised to
silence the rumorS Of Elk" with
his leather-covered insomnia de-
stroyerS.
Louis ended his training in a
burst of speed and punching
power which flattened two of his
sparring partners. The only dis
senting note in the chorus Of
praise at Louis performance was
supplied by Maurice Strickland,
New Zealand heavyweight who
believes the champion is too slow
afoot. But then Mann is hardly
a sprinter and would have diff
Guilty tying the speed record set
by Bob Pastor when the latter
out-distanced, but didn't outpoint,
Louis in Garden fight last year.
Mann has been plugging along
methodically in his training and
seems actually convinced he will
be the first man with one or two
n'S) from the State of Connect
cut to win the title. A journeyman
heavyweight who is still blinking
from the unaccuStomed spotlight,
Mann believes he has the equip
ment necessary to plummet the
Brown Bomber into permanent
tailSpin. Matte can hit with that
right hand, provided the target is
cooperative, and has a fair left
hook. Mates greatest asset is his
cement chin and his total lack Of
acquaintance with fear. But cour-
age alone is no defense against
Louis, and the champion has
pounded many a game guys
face into something resembling Q
squeezed orange.
5000 HOMETOWN FANS
Jack Kearns believe Mann can
beat Louis by crowding the cham
pion and preventing him from get
ting set. But Schmeling, the only
man to defeat Joe in a profes-
sional fight, did it by counter
punching. Mann isn't a skilled
artisan Of the craft at the latter
science and is a modest young
man who doesn't like to crowd an
opponent. Which should make the
average fan wonder If Matte is
stalking his confidence he can beat
Louis on something a gypsy told
him.
The New Englander will have
plenty Of vocal support in his
quest for fistiana,S golden fleece.
More than 5000 Mann rooterS are
coming down from Hartford, New
Haven and points north to see
their idol in action and this bit of
hero worship should put the fight
over the $4,000 mark. Discount
ing the deadheads, about 10000
cash clients are expected to cram
their way into the Garden to
check UP personally the truth of
the reports that Louis fighting
machine consists of 80 per cent
Of camembert. Cheese to you
and me). So the Brown Bomber
gets his first test tonight. He will
attempt a successful defense of
his title, something at which his
two predecessors, Jim BraddOck
and Max Baer, failed. Along about
II p. m. or sooner, the boxing
world will know whether the enig-
matte Louis is one of those heavy
weights who will write his name
indelibly upon the scroll of time
or whether he's just another guy
named Joe.