The Washington times., 1939-01-26

his opponents are saying today
saw the day he could brush off
berry coat.
This comparison may be an ex-
aggeration but the challenger who
faded so rapidly at Madison
Square Garden last night had a.
high rating as boxer yet
crumpled quickly when the bomb
ing started.
So now we have Louis crack
ing one boxing shell after an
other and hammering the slug
gers into submission almost as
quickly. Against four opponents
in the last year he has had to
travel less than ten full rounds.
TINE CATCHES UP
Time caught up to John Henry
last night but Louis did a much
faster job overtaking him. 1t
took ten years for the old man
with the scythe to creep up. Louis
required only 2 minutes and 20
seconds to reduce the light heavy
weight champion to doddering
wreck.
The end was foreshadowed by
the champions first sustained at
tack. He simply overpoWered the
challenger. hammered his devaS-
tating punches through defense
that was no more effective than
a mosquito netting and within q
minute had his victim ready for
the kill.
When John Henry fell the third
and last time he toppled over
slowly like a dynamited chimney.
Referee Arthur Donovan did not
bother to pick up the count and
when he had reached he closed
it out with Lewis total deficit.
John Henry made dazed COM
plant in his dressing room tina.
he should have had the benefit
of full count.
REFS JUDGMENT GOOD
Donovan, however, used good
judgment. Louis was in a tigerish
mood and there could have been
only one result, possibly with
serious consequences, if he had
been permitted to continue shoot
ing his explosive punches against
a helpless opponent.
Against any opposition Louis
packs the Garden. He always
gives a show. John Henry's
chance to poke the champions
crown askew was considered about
as good as a plugged nickel. The
betting was 10 to / against him
and even money that he would
not come up for the fourth round.
Yet nearly $4,000 thrill seekers pop
ped in out OF the chilly night and
contributed a gross gate of $l02,-
015.43 with the knowledge that
the curtain might rise and fall
almost in one continuous motion.
Whatever John Henry's plans
were for confounding the cham
pion and dampening his powder
will never be known. He had
described before the fight that he
would be confidential and feel
out" his man, wouldn't run and
would give Joseph boxing lesson.
NEVER CEASED FIRING
Tales that a friendly feeling be-
tween the two men would induce
Louis to delay the finish long
enough to permit John Henry to
make a respectable showing prob
ably influenced the champions
determination to proceed rapidly
to the slaughter-possibly as hui
name gesture.
In any event, he started fighting
in the first few seconds, rushed the
lighter man from one side of the
ring to another and along the
ropes and never ceased firing
! except when John Henry was on
the floor.
He failed, however, to better his
time against Max Schmeling, who
was demolished last summer in
minutes and 4 seconds.
It was the losers one-hundredth
professional fight and the first
time he failed to finish. Although
he professed a great ambition to
mingle with his sepia friend, John
Henry approached the shambles
in defeatist frame of mind. He
had to give away nearly 20 pounds
at the scales yesterday, and he
; probably worried off part of that
for his weight was only 18OA
pounds as against 200H for Louis.
At the weighing ceremonies the
challenger appeared to realize for
the first time that an axman was
on his trail. He had a hunted
look, his hands shook at times and
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