Evening star., 1939-01-18
Family Fighting Record Back Lewis Clash With Louis for World Title
John Henry Branches
From Same Tree
As Mo|ineaux
Dad of CIussiest Boxer
Among Heovies Also
Was Keen Fighter
BY DILLON GRAHAM,
Associated Press Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports Writer.
SUMMIT, N. j., Jan. 18-Joseph
Louis Barrow is extravagantly fond
Of shuteye and so it is unlikely that
his slumbers have been disturbed
by the news that John Henry Lewis
comes from family that produced
the first American challenger for
the world heavyweight champion
ship.
A less-tranquil individual might
find his snores interrupted in the
dead of night by the horrorsome
prospect of encountering gladia-
tor who sprung from the same
family tree as Tom Molineaux.
But not Joseph.
It is unlikely that John Henry
had any scheme of frightening
Joseph by tracing his ancestry back
to Molineaux the other day while
training at Nine. Bey's camp. John
Henry meets Joseph in l5-rounG
bout for the heavyweight title in
Madison Square Garden January 25.
Uncle Toms Record.
~Molineaux was my great-great-
uncle" Lewis disclosed. "He was
a slave in Virginia who won his
freedom by beating slave bully
from another plantation. Then he
went to England and fought Tom
Cribb, in 1910, for the title"
John Henry doesn't care to follow
Ay,nnctnr N6N1innony'S Sfnnc
farther, for the slave slugger pitched
into a ringpost while swingly wildly
and fractured his skull. He had
given Crib bad beating up until
then, but he wasn't on deck when
they passed out the decision.
Lewis has been fighting since he
was years old. His father used
to put the gloves on John Henry
and Brother Christy and toss 'em
into club-fght preliminaries. Papa
Lewis was lightweight scrapper
back in the days when puglllsts
didn't figure they'd worked up a
good sweat unless they'd fought 40
rounds or more.
John Henry started profession
ally in 1890 as lightweight. He
spent few hours in actual fighting,
but many hours in the gym prac-
ticing. And all the while he was
growing rapidly.
Lewis Beat Braddock.
He beat Jim Braddock and other
good boys as far back as 1882, but
It wasn't until 1885 that he really
came into prominence after win
ming the light-heavyweight title
from Bob Olin.
Since that time Lewis has been
fighting any one he could persuade
into the ring, including large
number Of heavyweights. He's ac-
customed to spotting a rival 20
pounds or so and winning a Is
round decision. He'll weigh 1873 to
Joe's 201. but the weight differ
ence isn't bothering him.
Lewis processes to have a plan
TO beat Louis, but all he'll say is
that his customary rule is to try
TO outpoint the other guy. If an
undefended chin is stuck in his
path, says John Henry, he knows
what to do.
He's acknowledged the best
boxer above the middleweight class.
While he doesn't pack punch like
Louis, he's good tWo-fsted fighter
with wallop that has accounted
for around SO knockouts.
Week Older Than Joe.
Although he's been around long
time and has absorbed more eX-
perience than Joe, he is exactly a
week older than the Bomber.
He's a jitterbug likes to pound
a piano . . spends hours taking
moving pictures his biggest
purse was $4,000 for beating Len
Harvey in England :. . learned to
box through instruction from his
father John and an old Pacific
Coast fighter named Hippo Burns.
He says his present trainer,
Larry Amadee, has improved his
style considerably Amadee's
presence in Lewis corner may dis
turb Joe for Amadee has been
in Joe's corner for all his major
fights, including the last Schmeling
20 Louis hasn't fought since
June, the longest layoff he's ever
taken John Henry has fought
% rounds In three bouts since then.
He lost his first pro fight =. he
doesn't mind roadwork, but hates
the getting-up part =. enjoys sleep
as much as Louis, but isn't so big
an eater he's seen, all of Joe's
major fights Red Burmar is
among the heavyweights he's beaten
. Burman, who fought Tommy
Tarr the other night, was kayoed by
Lewis in two heats in 1886.