The Phoenix index., 1941-06-28
SPORTS ''
SLANTS JONES
Joe Louis, Handlers Satisfied Billy Conn
Schmeling; Billy Boy Highly Underrated
Is Best Man He Has Fought Since

THERE WAS NOTHING in the air but respect for
Billy Conn the dressing Of Joe Louis after the fight
Louis Jack Blackburn, John ROxborOugh and Julian Black
were agreed 10 man. II was Che toughest Ia'ch OF he
Brown Bomber since the initial contest with Max Schmeng
That ateul evening" beloved world heavyweight cham
pon then of the priced battered to
the for keeps in the 18th round
The atmosphere Of unanimous acclaim for Louis
prising young opponent tailed with this observers absolute
conviction that the Conn boy is what Sherman said
Wheel5
Let the dissenters come big strong prominent and
backed by years of rsthand sizng-up.
One opinion of the columns they won't be able to change
The materatle opinion that the Conn boy is great,
Bill Conn throws the fastest punches since the late
Tiger Flowers.
The Pittsburgh Pretty Boys speed of foot anticipation
and defense against punches match his lightning like punch
He's dead game, master psychologist, rugged
believer in his ability TO do a job-and do il well
The kids dead game that his utter resentment of
the idea Of from LOuSOr anyone else, for that
him the most priced possession the sports
game offers.
The boy didn't want tainted title to begin with.
though he the the gained by tao
tics would bring II is therefore easy to understand that
when il looked like he had Louis On the way out Conn
barged and determined TO hurry the "finisher
True he played into the willy schemng of Jack Black
burn Louis foxy trainer who dug all the way back to
Jack Johnson versus Stanley Ketche to pull the bag
the old poaslln trick of LII Arthur" But Conn had
dream Of empire He sensed actual ownership of personal
prestige world wide aim and $2OOO0OO asset. Who
wouldn't take gamble at such priceless gemWh it ap-
pearing little than a fOrmaltY of graspmg!
There is talk of Louis carrying Conn. There has been
talk of Louis carrying other opponents notably Bob PaS
tor September 20 $780, Detroit please homefok who
had the Brown Bonner i'll action since he became
world champion
There was plenty of evidence to support the belief that
Louis carried Pastor For thing he dropped Bicycle Bob
for long the very first canto Again in
the second round he fatened Pastor But the actual knock
out did not till the llth
that fight Louis never in trouble and the fact
he danger in sight have accounted for the
length time Pastor endured AT least il seems plausible
Louis may have practiced his strokes, using tennis lang
uage several in order to give the home fans
show.
But the evidence of fixed" fight between Conn and
Louis is not easily believed.
Louis might carry" opponent, and he may have
carried' opponents But if rest assured
it will be- with the certain determination of TAX
ing his when he deemed the time ripe If he elected
to pracce his strokes before putting on the cfiShef,
that is his business
He may have carried" Conn, in his mind for
given period time The column be too he
didn't Even if he did Conn did good job of convincing
him it damnabe mi8take Of one thing this observer
certain: Louis has taken dive and never
will Roxborough Black, Blackburn for any
else He has too much honest personal pride and
feeling of responsibility to his to stoop low
A who carries opponent feels pretty sure OF
the ultimate outcome at all times Louis may felt this
security when he started out against Conn. I'm if he
did, he changed his mind later
The column claims mystic supernatural powers of
ObservatOn-n0r does it take themtO know by what its
eyes that Louis in peck of trouble in that
Conn fight
No danger of being Knockout The column does not
claim that danger of losing the fight his heavyweight
By his own admission Gouis every writer in the
dressing he knew from the ninth round Oh he was
losing fig he said he realized he had knock
win.
Louis had his worries and late in the fight his
poker-face could hide it. Sweat popping off Black
burns forehead in gobs and the foxy old trainer all
nerves. anOntons and fevers maneuvers between each
inennssiOn bell.
Not a rngside writer present-and there were nearly
700 Of them-seemed hold not shadow of doubt the
title changing hands Perfect ring actors would
hard taking 54487 OnlOOkers frenzedly TO their
feet on panOmine Folk fight that's fight Fifty
thousand Americans cannot be than $4,000
FTenchmen be wrong!
That LousCom shndg may have started out with the
champion carryng Billy. If it did, you rest assured
YOU won't have to bother about carrying for
long long Louis almost lost his crownand only the
resourcefu Chappie Blackburn, with 3O-yeaTOd hoax
had what it took to whip the inevitable"