The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-11-18
CONN CLASSY BUT STILL SHY
 OF K.O. BLOW
Lesnevich Proves Easy Victim of Able Pitts
 burgh lrishman
By HARRY FERGUSON limited Press Shorts EditOr)

New York, Nov. 18. (UP)-Billy Conn still is light heavyweight champion of the world but--like an automobile out of gas-where does he go from here?
 The Pittsburgh kid retained his title at Madison Square Garden last night In IS heart-stopping rounds, IS rounds of flawless boxing against a tough and rugged guy named Gus Lesnevich. But the victory only showed again that Conn can't punch hard enough to go against heavy weights. Like 8 new and shiny auto mobile, he is @ perfect piece of fight ing machinery If he only had the gas to give him a punch.
 Lesnevich looked good for the first three rounds, but after that he was a novice taking boxing lesson from 8 boy with the swiftest, surest left hand that has shown around these parts in five years. There have been stories that Conn would grow big ger, would pick up power as he grew, but last night he weighed only I'll IA and in the 18th round he hit Lesnevich with everything except the microphones that hung above his head. Gus took 1t and came on for more. .
 The victory leaves Billy sort of suspended in mid air. He has whipped all the good middle weights and light heavyweights in sight. He has proved that he has a fighting Irish heart, and in the 10th round last night he proved that he could take one on the button and stay n the fight. Lesnevich put across a hard right that rattled Conn's teeth and sent him back on his heels, but Billy came out stabbing with that picture book left and coirageously fought his way out of danger.
 The sign post points to an invas- ion of the heavyweight ranks Tor Conn, but there are not many who want to see Billy in there against Joe Louis unless some more weight is added to that graceful, lanky form. For one thing, Conn Is 8 slow starter and three or four of Louis jabs and rights wouldn't add any thing to Billy's speed. He probably would be logged up before he could get under way with his dazzling footwork and his waSpy left.
 It was a great show that Conn and Lesnevich staged. Gus Is one of those solid, plodding boys who hits hard with either hand and who Is willing to take three to land one Last nigth 1t was a stinging left hook which came flashing at him from all angles that brought about his downfall. That left hook Is a comparatively new weapon in the Conn arsenal. Up until now he has been a jabber-and what a jab 1t is! standing up straight and fight ing like somebody out of one of those old time boxing prints. Last night he threw hooks, leaping through the air half the time to do 1t, and then came through with a short, chopping right to the head.
 Only a person with an adding machine could tell how many times Conn hit Lesvenich in that mad 18th round. But Gus shook 'em off and came wading in and the only answer to that is that Conn hasn't any steam behind his punches.
 Conn must be an irritating fellow to fight. Every time Lesvenich looked up last night that soggy, red leather glove on Conn's left hand was in his face. Sometimes 1t was iabbing him on the nose; other times 1t was smacking him on the right side of the head - but always 1t was there. Giving away too many inches in height and reach, Lesne- vich just had to stand there and take 1t and hope that luck would give him shot for the button. Luck conspired with Conn to see that that never happened.
 For in addition to being flashy boxer, Conn Is great defensive fighter. He stands dead in his tracks at times and Hicks away blows with both gloves. Other times he shifts a couple of inches and makes his opponent miss so badly that 1t looks silly.
 Fate has been lavish in the things she has given Conn, but fate is @ tickle dame and she withheld from him the thing he needs most in his business - a right hand punch that whistles lullaby as 1t explodes on the button,