Evening star., 1939-10-14
Week k.to-Week Shift
In Poundage Hits
Bi|Iy's Schedule
40 Pounds Are Coined
By Light-Heovy King
In Lost 3H Years
BY WHITNEY MARTIN,
Associated Press Sports Writer.


PITTSBURGH, Oct. 14.-Johnny
Ray would be greatly obliged If
Mother Nature would tip him off
as to what her plans are with ref
erence to his problem child, Billy
Conn.
Johnny Ray manages Billy Conn,
who holds the world ight-heavy-
weight boxing championship, and
with Conns weight zigging and gag
ging like fever chart. Ray Is little
afraid to make plans farther ahead
than next Tuesday.
Conn isn't a problem child in the
ordinary sense of the word. In fact,
he's model young man, although
handsome isn't the word for him.
Gals, he's positively stunning, and
why a 22-year-old lad would sub
ject such features to the whims
and whams of gloved fists is some
thing only Billy can answer.
Anyway, Billy the Kid offers other
problems for Ray, chief of which is
the weight question, followed up by
Conns inability really to get steamed
up in bout until after five or six
rounds, unless his opponent is care
less enough to pop him on the chin
early and hasten the process.
Able to Lose Weight Fast.
Billy has gained 40 pounds in 3is
years." says the stocky Ray. He
weighed 1874 for his last Bettina
bout, think. Right now he weighs
a little better than 100.
However, he always has dropped
excess weight like hot stove as
soon as he started training. But we
don't know when it will stop coming
off that way. He fights Gus Lesne-
vich November IT, l honestly don't
know now whether he'll make the
weight. Some day those excess
pounds are going to stay on for
good.
Il know Billy looks bad in the
early rounds of a fight if he isn't
stung early. He doesn't know why
Says he just can't get started I
had him box couple of rounds in
the dressing room before his last
fight, and that didn't help. Guess
III have to use him in a preliminary
to his own main event. or have him
mix with his brother Jackie
Il don't know what we'll do after
the Lesnevich fight. I think We'll 60
IN To1ifnt,,io for
Billy just came back from Mike
Jacobs farm. Mike kept talking
Pastor, Pastor to him Id just as
soon meet Pastor. if Billy looks good
against Lesnevich.
Wants to Fight Big Ones.
Say, 1 wonder how Pastor and
Billy would draw at Miami. That's
an idea. 1 believe III call Mike
Billy the Kid, standing idly by and
giving a wad of gum a great going
over, perked up at this.
Take him in the Garden" he ad-
vised. Get him for me in New York,
that's the place"
Did 1 tell you we were offered
s25 900 to meet Hostak in Seattle?"
Ray asked Conn.
NO, and don't tell me you didn't
take it, Conn replied. I'm not
afraid of a hometown decision.
[ Il take care of the other guy.
Il understand he's big middle
weight. I want the big fellows.
That S why 1 hope the added pound
age sticks. 1 want to fight the
neavywelghts. I'm stronger and |
hitting harder with each bout"
That's right" Ray chimed in, .
Billy hurts anybody he fights. He's |
harder now than Lough-
ran or Tunney ever did. Any day |
now he may come up with that |
knockout punch. That's all he lacks /
low.'
Not to Check POundage.
Ray has been Conn's manager
since away back when.
He came around to my gym when |
ne was 13 or IA" he says. He was
The prettiest kid you ever saw. You
Just wanted to take him and hug
nim. When he was old enough I |
fought him in a few four-rounders. |
He lost sometimes, and he's so proud |
that when he loses he hides at home
for a week. Since then he's never |
fought an easy opponent.
IF he wants to be heavyweight,
It's all right with me.
I won't make him boil out to
make the light-heavy limit. But I
would like to know a little in ad-
vance whether he is going to be a
heavyweight next week
Or shrink to a lightweight.'
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