Scrap for the Army

Just when the fight fans had about given up hope, the Big Fight got a green light. The War Department last week sanctioned a return match--at Yankee Stadium Oct. 12--between Sergeant Joe Louis, world's heavyweight champion, and Private Billy Conn, the Pittsburgh toughie who, a year ago last June, succeeded in confounding the champ for a good part of twelve rounds before going the way of all challengers. Beneficiary of the fight: Army Relief. Neither fighter will collect a cent.

Louis hasn't laced on a boxing glove since he began cavalry training at Fort Riley three months ago. Conn's last fight was a bare-knuckle brawl in which he broke his left hand on his father-in-law's head. But when these two fighting men go into action, ringsiders expect a dime thriller for their $40 pasteboards.

Conn, a notorious night owl, will probably enter the ring a better man than last time. Army life has put him in the pink of condition, added 15 Ib. to his weight of a year ago (when he weighed 174 to Louis' 200). At 24, he should be at the peak of his fistic career. Always slow at getting himself into fighting shape, Louis has been hindered, not helped, by the cavalry. Used to training for six weeks or more, he may find four weeks too short to get his fill of roadwork before starting to sharpen his timing.

"Poor Joe," crowed Conn. "He's going on 29 and hasn't had a fight since he knocked out Abe Simon last March. In my book Joe's a dead pigeon."

If Louis' 21st defense of his title should indeed be his last, plenty of fans will be in on the kill. As they beelined for tickets last week Promoter Mike Jacobs promised the Army a gross gate of $1,200,000--the first million-dollar gate since Louis knocked out Max Schmeling in 1938.

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