Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-06-18
Champ Is Impressive
In Drill; Challenger
Moves Into City
By Gayle Telbot
Associated Press Spsrts Writer


NEW YORK, June 1S.-The long
weeks Of sweaty, monotonous train
ing behind them, Heavyweight
Champion Joe Louis and his collar
ad challenger. Billy. Conn of Pitts
burgh, took final light workouts to-
day, just sufficient to keep their red
corpuscles stirring.
Both concluded their boxing yes
terday, the big Negro stepping four
rounds against his sparmates and
Conn dancing through final two
If utter confidence means anything
each of them should score smash
ing victory tomorrow night before
the first crowd of 500 ticket buyers
in the history of prize lighting.
The two former soldiers, who
made a sensational scrap in their
other meeting five summers ago
will see each other once before they
square off under the lights at Yam
kee Stadium-when they appear at
Madison Square Garden tomorrow
morning for the official weigh-in.
Prospects are that Conn, the 28-
year-old former light-heavyweight
king. will balance the bar at around
1872 pounds. Louis is expected Ia
weigh around 2O6 or 2O8.
Joe About Desired Weight.
1t might be significant that Louis
before he began training for the
22d defense OF his crown. chose 20S
as the weight to which he expected
to scale himself down. One hun
dred and forty-four rounds of box
ing and 466 miles of road work
after he began his grind. the big
champion is precisely where he
wanted to be.
Conn and his encourage broke
their New Jersey camp last night
and Billy Came into the city to
stay in a friends apartment until
the fight. He planned light work
out in a downtown gymnasium to-
day. Louis expected to remain at
Pompton Lakes until just before
the weigh-in.
Among those who watched Louis
finish his boxing were his former
wife, Marva Trotter Louis, and their
3-year-old daughter Jacqueline
from Chicago. There have been
persistent reports there might be a
reconciliation after the big fight
but neither will confirm it. Marva
is reliably said to be cut in for rs
per cent of Joe'S end OF tomorrow
nights purse as part of their divorce
settlement. Those on hand saw an
impressive Joe Louis. Seemingly
almost light-hearted, the champion
danced around and jabbed his part
ners as though he might have been
copying Conn.
Louis General FayOrite.
Sitting around his dressing room
beforehand, during the long ritua
Of having his hands bsndaged. Louis
was model of composure as ques.
tons were shot at him.
"All I can say is I'm going ir
there throwing punches he said
No, I don't think I'll win a first.
round knockout. I don't think
could do it. But I think Ill win"
There was no reported change ir
the betting odds, although up II
Harlem they were laying ever
money that Louis would win, by ,
Knockout. Something like four Gu
of every five of the sports writer!
flocking into town were pumping
for the champion to put Billy t.
sleep quicker than he did in Al
that is, under Is rounds.
Promoter Mike Jacobs has hat
little to say about the probable gat
since he estimated q week ago tina
81 SOC, 900 was in the till.
The 500 seats have sold in a bi,
way, as have also the $40 long
distance numbers and the $40 va
riety, but the $50 and $50 paste
boards are understood to hav,
moved slowly. Few think now tina
the bout will gross 50, GOO, 900, or ever
crack the s2,658, $50 record set TO
the second Tunney-Dempsey nigh
at Chicago in 1927.