The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-01-01
Tommy Bell In Truininq
 For Lonotto

NeW Xork, Dec, Jl--"l m a hungry fighter.
 That's how Tommy Bell, latest welterweight sensation, describes himself after the interviewer dis- covers he hasn't anything approach ing the pugilistic background of say, for example Joe Louis, and hum dreds of others, but is a rnurderous puncher inside the ropes.
 Ensconsed like a king in new surroundings at Summit, N. J, where he is in hard training for the ten round return slugfest with Jac- ob La Motta, at Madison Square Garden, Friday evening, January II, the 22-year-old Negro family man yesterday took time off to explain his hungry fighter" attitude.
 "Mind you" he was adamant on this point, I'm not starving for the want of food, my plate at camp is loaded with the finest meats that mo':ey can buy. What mean to say, and that's from the heart, is that I am in the fight business to make money, pardon my frankneSs. know I'll make plenty of 1t after l whip. La Motta and go on to win the title. That's all that bothers me. Moneyl moneyl I want to save bankroll that will sweep me into business, say like owning string of bowling alleys. just want to be a successful business man, just like Dempsey, Tunney, Billy Petrolle and some others. I'm looking to the fu- ture and boxing as I see it is my salvation.
 I like to fight and fight often," the man who blew two close dukes" to Ray Robinson and La Motta, re- spectively, continued. Its in my blood. I'd rather fight than eat; that's saying a mouthful. don't say I can lick this and that fellow but you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be in there punching until the last bell is sounded.
 I used to work for living, Bell admitted but slaving in foundry was not meant for him. He read about the big purses = Dempsey, Tunney, Mickey Walker, Louis, Braddock. even kids like Greco, Beau Jack, Janiro, Robinson grab ping chunks-So he reasoned the good lord gave him all the health human could have and he was going to use 1t to good advantage.
 The first slice he received was $40 losing four rounder in his profes- sional debut to Bobby McIntire in a Toledo ring back in l942. That forty bucks was like fortune" Bell reminiSced. Right then and there I said to myself Tommy the fight business is about the softest picking around. Go to it, And go to 1t l have"
 For the Robinson thriller in Cleveland ring Bells share amount ed to $7,200. In less time than it takes to tell 1t Tommy banked the greater portion of the seven g's.
 Bell. who reads every line of box ing in the papers and likes to thumb through the files of the Golden Era, says he is profiting by the mistakes of some of his illus trlous predecessors. No second mort gages for him; they ruined Benny Leonard. Stock market? That's too complicated. Betting on horses, that's for suckers. Nothing like Un- cle Sam bonds and savings banks.
 Jack Johnson, John L. Sullivan, Sam Langford, Ketchel. Cans, Wal colt to scratch the surface, eanred thousands but 1t was just like waste paper in their hands. Not so many years ago Walker, the Toy Bulldog, burned two million dollars in can celled cheeks. Maxie Rosentloom could use the Bank of England. The late Harry Greb had the foresight to bank some of his hard earned shekelS in trust fund for relatives.
 Tunney is a millionaire in his own right, and Dempsey learned how to save until today he can write checks in six numbers. Jim Jeffries runs a prosperous amateur fight club in California, Willie Ritchie makes a good living officiating as secretary of the California Boxing Commis- sion, Henry Armstrong has recouped some of his losses. Barney Ross, who spent his dough like sailor, is on his way to a new fortune in movie land.