The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-01-09
WILL NOT
 WASTE ANY TIME .BETTORS BELIEVE
Quotes 21z to 1 on Knock= out By Champ; Foul
 Claim Recalled
By JACK CUDDY United Press Staff Correspondent

By JACK CUDDY
 United Press Staff Correspondent
 New York, Jan. 9EUP)-Joe Louis, fighting for the naval relief fund and personal revenge, defends his world heavyweight title tonight against big Buddy Baer, who knocked him through the ropes and accused him of fouling last May.
 Louis, most generous of champions in any division, doesn't get 8 nickle from tonight's expected indoor rec ord gate of $202,oo0 at Madison Square Garden, but he anticipates the satisfaction of belting out the California giant in an early round.
 Champion Louis wants to do this because such a victory will settle definitely the stormiest ring dispute in IS years. Not since the Demp- sey-Tunney Hong count" in 1927 did any title fight have such a turbu- lent aftermath as the first meeting of broWn-skilled Louis and the over-Sized Californian at Washing. ton.
 That night big Buddy amazed the fight world by knocking the Negro champion through the ropes in the first round, only to be stunned later by blaW after the bell ending the sixth round. Buddy was disqual- flied in the seventh when his sec- onds claimed "foul'' and refused to let him leave his corner.
 Promoter Mike Jacobs is contribut. ing all profits of the bout to the Navy Relief society which also gets Louis purse. Baer, trying to recap ture the diadem once worn by brother Maxie, gets IS per cent of the net gate and donates two and one-half per cent. ....--
 SellOut
 The Garden - house that Tex Rickard built-is virtually certain to be sold out because this is the first important fight of 1922 and because it promises plenty of fireworks, bringing together-as it does-two knockout artists whose combined weight totals about 450 pounds.
 Louis has trained for quick kayo, packing the unusual weight of about 205 pounds. By so doing he will remove the only two remaining smudges on his escutcheon-the trip through the ropes and the charges of foul.
 Betting men figure that jolting Joe will turn the trick with ease They've made him the lopsided ia. vorite at 5-1, quoting 21h to l that he registers knockout and even money that Buddy doesn't answer the bell for the fifth round.
 Baer, 26 years old and packing about 245 pounds on a foot. 61a inch beam, laughs down the odds and reminds that he knocked the chamuion onto the ring apron. He says he was so surprised to see the champion down that he stood back and let Joe's head clear, but he won't make that mistake this time.
 Buddy becomes grim when he talks about the Washington fight Everyone admits that Louis hit him after the bell ended the sixth round. Buddy and his seconds claimed he was fouled, but Louis favorite ref cree, Arthur Donovan, refused to call foul or grant Buddy a five minute rest period. He merely dis qualified Baer at the opening of the seventh round when his seconds yelled "foul' and refused to leave his corner.
 Both K. o. Specialists
 Louis is favored because he was so impressive in training, apparently reaching his physical peak at 27, and because of his amazing record in which he proved the most de- structive champion in heavyweight history by knocking out 47 oppo- nents in 55 fights. Baer too, is a knockout specialist, having belte,l out 43 of his 54 rivals.
 But more important than these figures, ill the judgment of betting men, is Bomber Joe's success in re- turn bouts against five opponents: Max Schmeling, Lee Ramage, Matte Brown, Bob Pastor and Autoro Godoy. All of these he knocked out in the second IT eeting, although they had been imr ressive against him in their initial encounter, and Schmeling had knocked him out.
 Baer, favored by advantages of weight and height, craves victory tonight not only because of the in- dignities he suffered at Washington, but also because Louis disgraced the Baer family by giving ex-cham- pion Maxie such a beating in 1885 that Maxie took the full count on one knee.
 If Buddy wins, he is under con- tract to give Louis a return title fight within 60 days, but it is un- likely that such bout would occur until next summer be use an ex- champion Louis-in al 1t class IA be snapped up quickly by Uncle Sam. If Louis wis, as ex- pected, he probably vii defend for the Fist time in March fer the ben-