The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-11-18
TODAY'S SPORT
 PARADE
BY HENRY McLEMORE United Press Staff Correspondent

New York, NOV. 1B-(UP)-AlloW him to wear brass knucks or clinch a blackjack in his fists and he will beat any man in the world, and that goes for Joe Louis.
 But as long as the fighting code forbids such extra armament, Billy Conn isn't going to offer any se- rious threat to half dozen heavy weights one can name. Nature was lavish with her gifts to the Pitts burgh boy but she didn't include a punch.
 That was proved again in Madi- son Square Garden last night when Conn made a successful defense of the light-heavyweight title by win- ming 15-round bout from Gus Les- nevich. During the AS minutes of fighting Conn must have hit the White Russian challenger 100 clean punches of every description, ir- cluding two dozen or more straight right hands flush on the chin. In the 18th round alone Conn used up more punches than Louis has thrown In his last IS fights, and yet Lesnevich was firmly on his feet at the finish and sufficiently strong to walk a nice straight line back to his corner.
 His lack of a punishing wallop in either hand was the sole deficiency of the i75-pound champion. In every other way he was a joy to behold. He was fast as a streak, both with his fists and with his feet: superbly clever at defense, picking off Lesnevich's blows or rol- ling with them in a manner that brought cheers from the oldest critic; perfectly conditioned and a perfect judge of pace. Given a punch and you could visualize him giving away any number of pounds and still winning in a walk.
 With promoter Mike Jacobs plan- ming to give him a shot at Louis title next summer, one wonders if he ever will acquire punch. Opin- ion on this was divided around the ringside after the fight, with some saying he never would hit any har- der than he does right now, and others saying damaging wallop would come along when he was grown into heavyweight size.
 One of the men who thinks Conn will eventually be able to hit with knockout force is Bill McCaney, the old cuss who has been manag- ing fighters for upwards of 50 years.
 All the boy needs" Billy said, "is to have some one force him to sac- rifice a little of his speed. Benny Leonard was the same sort of fighter Conn is now when he start ed out. He was so fast that he never could get set to hit-was go- ing away when he threw most of his punches. Benny used to wear himself out hitting guys thousand times a fight. Then he decided to alow down, take toe hold on the canvas, and measure his punches. You know what happened once he started this business. He began knocking everybody dead, including some of the best lightweights of all time. Conn can do the same thing. If he was my boy I'd take him away to the mountains or the woods for long rest and let him grow and harden. And I'd make him slow down, Then he'd be trouble for anyone"
 Conn is too fast for his own good now. He moves around the ring with the speed of a sprinter and never allows himself to get set. of course, slowing down would make him a much easier target-right now he is harder to hit than a mallard in flight-but he could af- ford to take a few punches. He has tremendous stamina, great courage, and takes Q blow very well.