Evening star., 1939-05-20
Lou S Speed, Stamina
Opposed by Max's
Craft, Punch
Ring Experts Far Apart
In Views With Both
Men Well Backed
BY GRANTLAND RICE,

NEW YORK, May 20 CN.A.NA).-
There is a stratling divergence of
opinions as to what will happen
when Lou Nova and Max Baer meet
on June l for the extremely doubtful
pleasure of facing Joe Louis later
on.
We have been mingling quite
little of late with old-time fight
followers who ought to know the
answer, only to find them as wide
apart as the outposts of a Siberian
frontier.
Here is the argument they give
you on the Baer side
Max can whip any man that he
knows can't hit him hard or hurt
him much. He can hit with either
hand and he is willing to gamble
on being outpctnted for few rounds
for one or two shots that he can
throw.
Max knew how hard Joe Louis
could hit, so he was beaten before
he ever entered the ring. He doesn't
think Nova is much of a puncher,
SO he isn't worried about getting
hurt or getting knocked out.
There's another angle. He has
taken better care of himself in the
last 18 months than he ever did be-
fore. He ought to catch Nova with
few winning punches inside the first
eight rounds-for he still can hit.
He still may be clown, but he is
far more experienced and much
more Furnishing puncher."
Youth, Legs in LOUIS Favor.
Here is the patter they hand you
from the Nova side
Lou is much younger than Baer,
much faster and a much better
boxer. is no comparison between
the two in this respect. Baer can't
box lick-he never could. Baer was
on his way downhill after beat
ing Camera. He lost to Braddock.
Louis and Farr, although he beat
Farr in their second match. But
not nearly by as big a margin as
Nova did.
Nova is much better hitter than
many seem to think. He knocked
out Barlund and gave Farr the worst
beating the British fighter has yet
taken. He always has been clean
living athlete and will be moving
around on legs that can carry him
all the way. Baer's legs were gone
even before he met Braddock.
Lou will jab Max dizzy and cut
him up. Baer will have to score a
fairly early knockout to win-and
how many fighters has Max knocked
out since he won from Camera? He
will find Nova much harder to tag
than Tommy Farr ever was
Experience on Max's Side.
I have heard these two arguments
hour after hour whenever the fight
happens to be mentioned.
1t largely is matter of Nova's
speed, boxing skill and condition
against Baer's greater experience
and his harder punching.
Even Joe Louis still will tell you
that Baer hit him the hardest sin
gle punch he has taken so far. The
Livermore Larruper always could
hurt when he found his target.
I think an important considera-
ton to follow concerns Baer's legs.
They were beginning to buckle up
before the Braddock fight some
years ago. AS the years roll by legs
rarely improve. There also is the
chance that Max may make a mis-
take in holding Novas punches too
lightly. Lou is over 200 pounds. he is
young and strong. He wasn't throw
ing feathers stuffed pillows at Bar
lund and Farr.
Lou is not loaded down with ex-
perlence, but at least he knows that
he can't afford to leave Baer any
wide-open chin.
Both Ooze Confidence.
There still are nearly two weeks
left before the fight. This time
MaX's mental attitude is far better
than 1t was against Joe Louis, when
ne was as jittery as a sWirling swarm
OF Jitterbugs. He still believes that
Nova can't hit hard enough to hurt
him, much less knock him out. And
he doesn't believe that Nova knows
enough to keep away from him
through any Is rounds.
But how strong will Baers legs
be after the ninth or tenth?
Nova is more confident even than
Baer. He hasn't worn himself out
taking punches and he has been
winning steadily He feels sure he
can left-hand Max off balance and
then nf1ict lot more punishment
than Max is looking for.
You can't question his physical
condition or his mental attitude.
NO one can deny he is much faster
and much the better boxer.
The argument probably will pick
up pace through the next 10 days,
when there will be more time to size
up things at closer range.