The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-03-26
(Reg. U. s. Pat. Off.) BY JACK CUDDY
Limited Press staff Correspondent

New York, March %. - (UP) - Ancient Joe Woodman, who man. aged the great Sam Langford for is Stillman's gymnasium and watched his young Negro lightweight, Ike Williams, with all the proud enthu' siasm his Boston tar baby" must have evoked 70 years ago.
 The gymnasium was damned with fighters, spectators, boxing writers and handlers. It was big day, and the "jernt was jumpin'" as Henry Armstrong, Beau Jack Private Johnny Greco. Cleo Shans, ano others went through their paces,
 As young Williams spared with a heavier Negro mate in one of the gyms two rings, almost unnoticed the other ring commanded almost everyone's attention. In that roped square, the bevy of spectators as busy with the more noted gladia- tors.
 Next Year?
 old Joe Woodman pushed his gray hat back on his Silver-streaked thatch and peered through his horn-rimmed spectacles at the hurly-burly. He said, next year Ike Williams will be over in that other ring, with the spectators swarming around him. That's the boxing game for you. Ike working today with nobody watchin', but In Q year or so nationally known fighter with his name on everybody's lips and his picture in all the papers. Those two rings there tell the story of the fight game"
 Why was Woodman. after hand ling pugilists for more than half a century, convinced that slender young Williams of Trenton, N. J., would become lightweight cham pion?
 woodman said, "this Williams kid can't miss. He's got everything. When I say that I speak as an ex- pert-if experience can make a man an expert. At l9. he's the greatest natural all-round fighter I ever saw. He's a splendid boxer can feint and move properly on his feet, which few modern pugs can do. And he's a great puncher. He has knocked out IA men in his i7 professional fights. He lost but once, when as a featherweight. he dropped a decis- ion to Freddy Archer, a welter- weight"
 We didn't remember seeing Wil- Hams before, although he licked one Jerry Moore in a preliminary at Madison Square Garden early last month. But we did remember the tremendous ovation the name of Ike Williams was given at Phila- deIphia's convention hall last Tues day night - before the Armstrong Trlbuani bouts when the an- nouncer disclosed that Williams would fight soon on another phila- deiphia card.
 Knocks Elm Out
 "Yes." said Woedman, Ike is a prime favorite with Philadelphia fans. They love him. And the fans of Cleveland have a lot of Tespect TOT nm LOO. Oo you kuOW what Ike did? He knocked out Sammy Daniels at Philadelphia on the night of February 22. then grabbed 6 plane to Cleveland. where on the night of February 23. he knocked out Bobby McQuillan. Two kayoes within 24 hours in cities more than 800 miles apart"
 Incidentally, we asked, where is old sam Langford now. Wood- man said Langford. nearly blind. ts a watchman at New York munich pal lodging house. He concluded, T managed sam for go years. I wanted him to quit fighting and gave up his contract. But he kept on for about seven more years. He had plenty of money when I gave him up. But he lost his money later and almost lost his sight be- cause he wouldn't listen to the ad- vice of Joe Woodman, his best friend"