The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-06-11
CHAMP DRILLS HARD FOR CONN
 RING CHALLENGE
Confidence of Challenger Has Cut Odds on Title
 Bout to 1895
BY JACK CUDDY United Press Staff COrrespondent)'

United Press Stan COfrespOndentJ
 New York, June 1l.-(UP) = Champion Joe Louis and challenger Billy Conn seem to have reversed roles as they prepare to battle for the heavyweight crown ct the Polo Grounds a week from tonight
 The sharply contrasting and .unex- pected attitudes of the two principals at their camps highlight training activities for this SSo0,0o0 brawl and leave the investigator Q bit bewild- cred.
 At beautiful Greenwood Lake, brown-skinned Louis Is working with a fervor that verges on desperation working harder and more seriously than he did as challenger for Jim Braddock's crown. This, despite the fact that he is making his 18th title defense and has stoked six fights under his belt since December.
 Meanwhile, under the naples and elrns at Pompton Lakes, handsome young Conn goes about his duties with the cocky sangroid one might expect in a man who already wears the rings most coveted diadeni. Not that the Pittsburgh Whirlwind ia sighting his duties. No, indeedi But there's none of the grim concentra- ton at merry Pompton that ono flntb at Greenwood.
 The carefree confidence that per- rneates Conn's camp is somewhat fabbergasting when one realizes that this fair skinned, tousle -haired Irish American youngster--scarcely more than Q light feavy--is prepping for the dreaded Detroit dynamiter, his- tory's most destructive heavyweight whose very presence has left many an opponent frozen with fright.
 Camp Is Betting
 This cock.sure attitude Is no act mo whistling past the graveyard. The challenger's entire entourage backs It's confidence with cash and spreads the gospel of Conn as far aS press wires and radio can reach This is a fnajro reason why the betting, which opened weeks ago with Louis favored at 5-i, has been hampered down to 1895, and why so many ex- perts are swarming onto the Conn bandwagon.
 As Conn seeks for speed--afid more speed--in his waltzing feet and lanc- ing jabs, Louis is grimly tanping his dynanite-readying the explo- sive punches with which he hopes to blast the challenger's ambitions in short order. Not since Jolting Joe trained for his second bout with Max schmeling three years ago has he been so savage in his sparring ses- sions. His human punching bags certaining arc earning their money this time. The dead-panned Detroit negro sinashes them about the ring mcrcilesSly.
 Despite all the reports that Louis, at 27, is hunming down the tobog- gan, the world champion still is ono helluva fighting man. Rumors that Louis zest for the game is gone be- cause of his wealth and because of the constant training grind in his recent "burn-o of -tte-nnonth" cam- paign are not true. Never has the Bomber thrown himself into prep. ping with more eager earnestness. And never has he seemed more fit. He's as sharp as the razor that did the tatting on trainer Jack Black burns brown cheek many years ago. We believe that some of the zing iS gone from his punches, but that's a subject for debate.
 At His Peak?
 Louis seems so sharp right now that the experts who watched his six rounds yesterday believe he h at his peak. And they wonder how he can carry out the strenuous duties mapped for him until next Tuesday without going stale-and laying his fight in the camp. However, his handlers do not share this fear. They're grimly determined that the title shall not pass. They'll grid him down to 200 pounds. and send him In to blaze away with both guns at the fastest and smartest challenger ais4aA ti4n great finn H0rhAkt