The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-27
MAX BAER RATED
NO. CHALLENGER
Ring Magazine Presents Its
Annual Copyrighted Rank.
ings Of Battlers
BY SID FEEDER

NEW YORK, Dec. 26.-R-Wlth
a backhand slap at those who
keep yapping about the good old
days' of fistiana, The Ring maga-
zine today named Billy Conn the
.fighter of the year" and nomi-
mated Max Baer as the No. l chal-
lenger for the heavyweight title
if he wants it.
In its annual copyrighted rank
ings of fighters for the year and
an accompanying article written
by Editor Nat Fleischer, the maga-
zine pointed out that only two OF
Hast years leaders-Conn among
the light-heavyweights and Joe
Louis among the heavies-retained
the top spot in The Rings list OF
LEADERS for 1910 in the various di-
visions, based on a poll of sports
writer's all over this country, Cuba
and Canada.
Great Turnover
This turnover, the publication
stated in the review to be published
in it's February edition, is tn e
greatest since The Ring started its
rankings in 1925. 1t is a mark
of great progress said the article,
for the study of those who keep
yammering that the game is not
as intriguing as it used to be-" and
who "tel us that boxing went bad
when Jack Dempsey lost his title. -
While pointing out that not all
are universally recognized as
champions, The Ring followed up
Louis and Conn with the following
'1eaders" in the various divisions:
middleweight, Ken Overlin of Nor
folk, Va, and Washington, recog-
nized as titleholder by the New
York State Athletic Commission,
but not by the National Boxing
Association; welterweight, Fritzie
Zivic of Pittsburgh, sanctioned
everywhere except in Maryland
lightweight, Lew jenkins, the
Sweetwater, Texas, knockout spe'
cialist who has the blessing of the
New York Commission but not the
N.B.A.; featherweight, Harry JET
ira of Baltimore, New York Com
m S ion titlist; bantamweight
Tony Olivera of Los Angeles
recognized only in California; fly
weight, Jackie Paterson of Scot
land, who has no recognition OF
this side of the ocean, but is de
scribed by The Ring as 1.-The bes'
man of his weight in the world"
A total of 168 sports writers anc
Ring magazine, correspondents bal
lotted on the rankings. In the vot
ing for Fighter of the year." 81
picked Conn, the light-heavyweigh1
champion who recently signed te
meet Louis in June for the heavy
weight crown. Baer, the come
backing ex-playboy, was seconc
with SO votes. Louis, last years
winner, finished fifth with II.
Above All Rivals
Among the heavyweights, tn {
magazine says, Baer stands out as
Louis challenger above all rivals,
because of his 1910 performances
in stopping Tony Galento and Pa
Comiskey. Make and Conn are
rated IL in a group by themselves
Immediately behind Louis in thu
rankings.
IF Max were willing to give uE
theatrical work and adhere strict
ly to the business of fighting" thu
publication adds, ''he alone nigh
have chance to dethrone Louis
Unfortunately, Baer refuses to dt
that. Jacobs promoter Mike ia
cobs) insists that Baer won't con
sent to another Louis meeting"
After predicting that "Conr
won't last long against Louis pow
erful wallop," but definitely fit.
into the picture as a challenger
the magazine ranks Arturo Godoy
of Chile, who went % rounds il
two bouts with Louis this year
and Red Burman of Baltimore
who meets the Bomber in Janu
ary, as the top contenders back o:
Baer and Conn.
The Ring suggests that Overlir
fight Tony Zale of Chicago, the
N.B.A. titleholder, to straighter
out the muddled middleweight di
vision and that Olivera tangle with
Lou Salica, of Brooklyn, the New
York champion, to decide the ban.
tamweight ruler. Zivic and the
man he dethroned, Henry Arm
strong, are to fight January II
again for the welterweight crown.
Main Developments
Maintaining that boxing is max.
ing a great comeback" the maga.
zlne lists as the years outstand-
ing developments:
1.-The growth of Conn into a
heavyweight title contender.
2-Joe Louis record string of title
defenses; he recently brought his
total to 12.
3-The record number of cham.
pionship fights in which interna
tlonally recognized world titlehold
ers placed their crowns at stake
in 1910.
4-The sensational knockouts by
Baer lover Comiskey and Galen
|to), by Jenkins and Steve Belloise
New York middleweight.
5-The rise of many youngster:
to prominent places in the middle
weight and welterweight divisions
Other ''firsts" of the year istee
by the magazine were:
Thrill of the year-Max Baer il