The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-29
CHAMP FAVORED
AT 8 TO | ODDS
Brown B0mber's Record Cited
In His Favor; Contender
Termed Fast Fighter
By SID FEEDER

NEW YORK, March 2s.-(P)-
Funnier things have happened in
the fight game than the possibility
that Johnny Paychek will take the
heavyweight title from Joe Louis in
Madison Square Garden tomorrow
night.
But, despite the Jim Braddocks
and Max Schmelings who pulled in
the 1 to 10 shots in recent years,
there just doesn't seem any chance
that 'it can happen here" this
time. Somehow, the Brown Bomber
doesn't appear in any more danger
for his tenth title defense than in
pulling on his britches in the soil
tude of his own boudoir.
Not only has he the physical
equipment, particularly in the IAN.
non he ear at the end of his arms,
to dispose of the Fighting Fiddler
from the corn country, with an ex-
pected crowd of 5000 looking on,
but his pride is hurt as a result of
his mediocre showing against Ar.
turo Godoy last month.
Now, when Louis pride is hurt, it
pains him indeed. In fact, it hurt
him much worse than his opponent
although not in the same places.
In the past, when these pains set
in, sympathies invariably were di-
rected toward the next guy he met.
Just, for example, look at the rec
ord:
Max Schmeling knocked him out.
Jack Sharkey came along next,
cocky that he'd do the same thing.
He never knew what hit him.
Joe couldn't catch bicycling Bob
Pastor for ten rounds. Matte Brown
suffered-and how-for that one a
month later.
Tommy Farr followed and made
Louis look terrible for Is rounds.
Matte Mann turned up not long
afterward and figured Is how he
could do everything Farr could-and
punch besides. He woke up some
time later, in severe pain.
On Feb. 10, Louis was a baffled
bewildered young la against Co.
doy, so, under Joe's feathers one
day, chicken the next" program, you
hardly need a crystal ball to figure
out what Paychek can expect, de-
spite his record and ring skill. In
the words of Hymie Caplin, cit
shouldn't happen to a dog" if Louis
follows form.
AS usual, the oddsmakers have
tabled Louis at 1 to 8 or better. This
corner goes along with that belief,
picking Louis to make his 11:45 p.
IN. train connection for Chicago
with plenty to spare, after taking
four rounds or less to dispose of the
business on hand.
Paychek has a few things in his
favor, however, in spite of how the
whole thing looks on paper. He has
a world of speed in his finely built
legs-probably the fastest boxing
man Louis has had a look at to date.
He can punch pretty good with his
right hand and can dig his left to
the body. Benny Leonard, who has
been conditioning him, says he can
take a punch. Well, he's going to
get a chance to prove Benny right.
Promoter Mike Jacobs has been
most pleased at the way the ticket
sale has picked up in the last few
days and now hopes to hit the jack
pot for as much as the Louis-Godoy
fuss drew-$SS,0 900. At the moment,
it looks like a SIS, 900 house. The
Finnish relief fund gets ten per cent
of "the top" Z IL per cent of Louis
purse and 2 IL per cent of What
Paychek makes.
After this, Louis' immediate plans
have been sort of tangled up through
the recent illnesses of Billy Conn
and Lee Savold, who are important
parts of the picture. Right now it
seems the "boss man" will take on
either the Tony Galento-Max Baer
winner or Arturo Godoy in July.