The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-05-28
This Sporting World
VIII LOuis-COnn Click Financially?
By JOHN A. CLUEVEY

From some of the statements and ballyhoosy that emerates from the training comps of heavyweight champion Joe Louis and his hot headed challanger Billy Conn, one would think that the elO0 per ring side seat title bout was having a slow ticket sale. Uncle Mike Jacobs the big gun of the entire affair who has told no one aside from few trusted employees how many rows of ringside there will be at g 70" note per head, has been quot cd as saying he has more than $l,- 900 900 in advance ticket orders which may or may not be true Though 1t has strict rules and ceil- ing prices relative to many forms of entertainment, the OPA, New York State Athletic Commission ol no one else has made a move rela- tive to the top price of the fight between two principals who last met five years ago.
 Get a gander at the tripe that's coming from Conn's camp at Greenwood Lake, somewhere in New Jersey. Conn takes Gene Tunney for a verbal ride, in this fashion: maybe I'll score double knockout at Yankee Sta Alum. I'll belt out Louis the musta been poisoned by those Jersey mosquitoes) then I'd like to jump into the Fingside seats and hit that big-mouthsd Tunney right on the whiskers." Brave words, those, and very, very questionable, esRec- ially the part about belting out Louis, because Conn will "spot" Louis some 25 pounds; couldn't knock him out in 1041 when he had the champ groggy and weak in the knees; in fact did not even knock Joe down; though the bell came to the rescue at the end of that hlistering twelfth round. So, how does he figure to stop Louis five years later?
 Conn is "peeved" at Tunney because WaterbuTy's Dan Parker printed Tunney's opinion of the forthcoming June 19 bout; say ing that it would be a joke" if Conn beat Louis this time. Gentleman Gene recently spoke at a Father and Son dinner in the New York Athletic Club. So much for that.
 Manager Johnny Ray who doe the thinking for Conn, during tn latteF's waking moments, takes leather-lunged blast at New Tor referees, saying: If the guy wh referees that fight, starts putin his hands on Billy-grabbing hin by the arm, pulling him arount and showing him back-I'll ste out of the corner and punch ths referee right in the nose" A sma man physically, Manager Ra seems to be simply blowing o1 steam, for there are few referee on the N. Y. staff who can hand themselves quite well, and, If the see Johnny Ray coming at the with the intention of throwing punch, the cops may have to pic Mr. Ray off the ring floor or ol of the third row. Arthur Suskin in particular, one of the hardest hitting lightweights of recon (Young OttO) has been 8 New Yol referee for several years and coul handle three or four Manager Ray without moving out of ten fo' square. He has retired, but Edd Josephs and Billy Kavanaugh u latter West Point boxing coac may draw the Louis- Conn assigr ment, unless both parties and Mil Jacobs insist on Arthur Donova which is hardly likely, in view Donovan's recent sidewalk scramh which brought dath to his be friend.
 How can 8 referee keep h hands off, a boxer is one or bo boxers refuse to heed a ''brea command?