The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-02-28
FAMOUS TRAINER PANS CURRENT |CROP OF BOXERS
Managers Are as Bad as Most Fighters Says
 Lon StiIIman
BY JACK CUDDY

United Rress Stan Csrrsspsnaent)
 New York, Feb. 2s.-(UP)-Ath- letes in virtually every sport, 'and even horses, have improved during the past decade but prisefighters have slipped badly according to that ultra-expert, Lou Stillman.
 Stillman, proprietor of the worlds busiest boxing gymnasium, insists that fighters in every division to-. day-from heavyweight champion Joe Louis on down-are inferior to those of the past.
 This landlord of larrup should know what he's talking about be- cause daily in his eighth avenue gym between 126 and 200 profession al fighters work out. And he's been in the bushes for 26 years. He has seen more -tosserS In action than any human in history.
 Because of recent newspaper and magazine discusion over the con1- parative abilities of Louis and Jack Dempsey, Stillman was asked to en- ter the hurly- -burly-and he came out punching. He gave Louis and other current pugilists a thorough trouncing.
 "Louis and Dempseyl" scoffed Stillmax. "Why mention those guys in the same breath2 The Louis of today couldn't even have given the Oenrnsev of Toledo a good workout. Jack would have knocked him dead In couple of heats.
 'I.ouis is the perfect example of how fighters in general have faded during the past years. Look what he did in his last bout with Godoy. He gave a pitiful performance. dodcy not only made the fight. but he made fight, but he made Louis hght jus tthe way he wanted him to"
 stilln,an declared that fight fans would have laughed Louis out of town in the old doys because of his uost.battle statements in which he said Godoy wouldn't stand up 50 he could hit him and that he (Loui) had given a poor performance De- cause he was afraid or hurting his hands on Godoy's head.
 "Those are fine statements Tor 8 world champion to make" contin- ued the tall, slightly bent and slight- ly bald man. "If Louis was 8 real ring mechanic Instead of mec- hanical ringster-he would have strengthened Godoy up in a hurry, How long do you think Godoy would have clowned around with Dempsey or any of the good heavies that came before him? Huh! And If Louis was afraid of hurting his fists. What did he get into the ring forP The fans paid to see him throw his fists. He didn't do 1t. He rocked them out of their dough"
 Stillman had no bouquets Tor the other current champions. He said Lou Aimbers, the lightweight king, apparently was the best of Q bad lot although Lou is not much of 8 puncher. He said Ambers resembles the old-timers because of his rug. gedness, stamina, speed, skill, ana ring brain. He looks like natural born" ghter.
 stillman says this general sluffing oil in puglistic ability has resulted from combination of many causes. Prohibition with it's wave of gang sters and racketeers brought about an unfortunate admiration 10 rthe and the knife-instead of the fist- among youngsters in tough reigh- borhoods. Then the depression and its paltTy purses in small fight clubs caused the tough kids to turn to easier and more lucrative enter- prises, Other causes are lack of study of boxing technique. laziness in training, easy living, fancy cloth- es, and bad managers. Stillmai1 coll- cludes that current managers, with but few exceptions, are as frowW a VssA ne kS%nsxs RolNknFG