LOUIS WILL NEVER FIGHT AGAIN

Chronicle (Levin), 16 April 1946, Page 7

LOUIS WILL NEVER FIGHT AGAIN

WALTEE MILLER'S OPINION Walter Miller says that Joe Louis will never fighl again because he is too fat and on present form he does not stand a chance against Billy Conn, the contender. When Louis faces Conn in defence of the championship, he will be defending thei citie for ihe 22nd time since he won it from James J. Braddock in 1937. i'his sets a record for world heavyweight boxing, for none of the other champions have ever put the title on the line on so many occasions. Since knocking out Braddock in eight rounds, Louis has won 18 title bouts by knock-outs, two on points and one by disqualification. The only men to Iast the distance with fi.he "Brown Bomber" were the Welshman, Tommy Farr, and the South American, Arturo Godoy. Of -his 18 wins by the short cut, Louis has had five first round . knockouts and six qther bouts did not go past the fifich round. By way of contrast, Billy Conn, who was 25lb lighter than Louis when he took the crown from the Negro in 1941, has an unimposing record of knock-outs. Since 1937 Conn has had 35 bouts, winning ali but four of them, and on points, to young Corbett, Solly Krieger and Teddy Garosz. Of these 35 matches, Conn has won only seven by knockouts and four of these quick wins were scored in 1941, prior to facing

Louis. When Conn and Louis met in New York on June 18, 1941, Louis was an 18—5 favourite to win, and many had 'an uneasy moment before Louis stopped the challenger in the thirteenth round. For 12 rounds Corin had skilfully out-boxed the champion and successfully prevented hina in'landing any damaging blows. Then over confidence led Conn. into" fatal mistakes. Standing off and boxing he was the better man, but the moment he began to stand and trade punches he asked for and reccivcd heavy pun-

ishment. Neither man has participated in an' official ring. contest , since 1942, although bpth gaye exhi1 bitions while serving in the Army. I Louis was born in Alabama in .May, 1914, and is three years oldei 'than Conn, who was born at Pittsburg in October, 1917. The Negro, when Iast competing, had a weight jadvantage of 251bs over Conn, but Iboth stand six feet in height. Will ithe world have a new' heavy weight | champion in June? |