The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-01-10
COOPER TO GIVE CONN INITIAL
 TEST AS HEAVY
Nova, Pastor and Louis Ahead If Pittsburgher
 Can Make the Grade
United Pres SPORTS EDITOR)

United Pres SPORTS EDIT0R)
 New York, January i0. - (up) - The slim Irish kid who Is . sort of Jim Corbett of our time gives away i5 pounds at Madison Square uar- den tonight in an attempt to prove that the bigger they are the harder they fall.
 Armed with q beautiful, waspy left jab, Billy Conn, light heavyweight champion of the world. invadeg the heavyweight ranks against c so-so fighter named Henry Cooper. No title will be ct stake, for Cooper couldn't get down to the i7B-pound light-heavyweight limit even If he went on 0 hunger strike. Tn fact, about the only thing the bout will prove Is whether Conn can mix 1t with the heavyweights and not get his brains scrambled.
 If he can, he is In c fair way to be c millionaire, for he will be headed straight for bout with Lou Nova, Bob Pastor and, If he gets past them, with champion Joe Louis.
 If he can't, ho will have to keep on fighting light heavyweights and pray that some good ones will come along.
 The hottest argument in boxing right now is whether Conn should be sent against the big boys. Those who say he should point out thAt Jim Corbett weighed in ct only i70 on the September day in 1892 when he stabbed the great John l.. Sullis van Rilly In c New orleans ring. The other side comes back by TO. calling what happened to the oT- chid Man of France. Georges Car- penter - . light heavyweight who was thrown Into the ring with Jack Dempsey in 1921 and was battered out of his senses in four round1.
 Plans Ahead
 Johnny Ray, Conn's manager, thinks his boy should weigh ct least is5 before getting Into the ring with Louis. Billy Is 22 now and 1t becomes more doubtful every day whether he can pick up that much weight. Ho has small bones and ig slim through tho waist and should CTS: He hasn't the frame to carry i9b or 100 pounds.
 Regardless of what happens to- night, the customers will Do up to the Tafters, for when Conn moves out of his corner, flioking his left and dazzling the crowd with his foot work, 1t is one of the great sights of sports.
 The distance tonight ig i2 rounds, and 1t would suit Conn better if it were ib. He starts slowly, figures out his opponents style and then goes to work on him, By the eight or ninth round he Is under full steam, circling to the left and jab- ping and hooking until his oppo- nent thinks he is fighting three men.
 On this record, Cooper is not too tough . test but he can punch sharply with either hand and there is always the chance that he can get across the Jolt that will sap away Conns speed. That's what tho customers want to find out - what will happen to Conn when and If Q stiff punching heavyweight hands him one on the button. If Billy can keep his head when that happens and pedal his way out of danger, he might have fighting chance against Louis. If he tries to slug 1t out somebody had better reserve Q hospital room. for Conn's only weakness as Q fighter is that the knockout punch is missing,
 Originally Conn was matched with Steve Dudas, conqueror of the prom ising Patrick Edward Comiskey, but Dudas caught the grippe and Cooper was substituted.