Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-06-19
Four-Round 10. Seen
For Champion Over
Speedy Challenger
BY GoyIe Talbot
Associated Press Sports Writer


NEW YORK, June 19.-Joe Louis,
a rihg-weary veteran of 80, will
defend his heavyweight title for
the 22d time tonight at the Yankees
ball park. and he veW likely will
leave Billy Conn a quivering mass
in the resin somewhere about the
fourth round.
The indeiible impression after
watching the big Negro and his
slishter but dead-game 28-year-old
opponent from Pittsburgh train for
the past 10 days is that Louis still
carries too many bazookas for Billy
just as he did on another June
night five years ago.
Although ne has not fought seri-
ously for four years, Louis will enter
the ring tonight a beautifully
trained specimen. Veterans of the
fight game who doubted that Joe
could bridge the chasm of time
and whip himself into anything ap-
preaching his prewar form have
watched his closing workouts in
| oPSAA"AAio ollldLChlCllb
The big man who has held the
crown for nine years still hits fast
and with paralyzing force. His legs
still look trim. and he shuff1es about
on his large feet about as swiftly
as ever.
AS for Billy Conn, he will carry
into the ring no measurably greater
weapons than he had that other
blazing night when he went down
under hurricane of blows in the
18th round.
Billy Fast-and Confident
Billy still has a fighting heart
the size of pumpkin, he is utterly
fearless of Joe Louis, he is fast
and he thinks he can win.
Also possibly on the credit side.
Billy has put on a few rugged
pounds, which might help him take
a punch better and hit a little
harder.
Billy and his handlers insist he
is ready to step around Louis to-
night and box him dizzy. Billy
points out he was we'll ahead on
points when Joe tagged him in their
other fight. and he has sworn by
all the coal in the Pittsburgh dis
trict that he will not try to slug
with the lightning this time.
Louis punches don't leave you
dead, anyway" he said one day re-
Gently. He hits hard, sure. But
don't forget he had to hit me about
20 more times after that first right
to the jaw before he put me down
He won't get the chance this time"
The only thing against Billy's
sober argument is that Louis hasn't
looked in recent days much like a
man who might be evaded for more
than few split seconds, much less
Is rounds. In his final training ses-
sions he damned on the speed and
fairly overwhelmed his sparring
partners
Louis has made only one promise:
That he will go out throwing
punches" tonight. But he expects
to win in an early round, and all his
training has been toward that end.
For publication he has predicted
that Billy won't be around for
long" Privately, he has picked the
third round as the one in which he
might catch up with his elusive
rival.
Il trained for a Knockout he
sums it up. Conn trained for the
newspapers"
Referee Yet to Be Named.
With the two gladiators due to
weigh in at Madison Square Garden
shortly after noon today, the only
/ important question remaining was
the choice of referee. The third
man never is named until just be-
fore the fighters enter the ring
Eddie Joseph, who worked the last
Louis-Conn scrap. and Benny Leon
ard. the old lightweight champion,
have been the most prominently
mentioned for the job Louis is ex-
pected to weigh about 208 to COINS
1872.
In the event of rain tonight Pro-
moter Mike Jacobs will not refund
the 100000 said to be in his till,
but will shove the bout up to tomor-
row night. Ten thousand general
admission tickets will go on sale at
S. apiece when the gates open at s
pm. edit, four hours before the
main event. The odds against Conn
being the new champion were hov-
ering around 12-to-5, and it was
thought they might soar above to
by nightfall.
The fight will be broadcast by the
American Broadcasting Co. and
televised by the National Broadcast
ing Co.
Aonv,, Kin1e Cin~o