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LEE SAVOLD JOE LOUIS J Louis Favored to Knock Out Savold IBC Predicts Gate Of Near 00,000 Expect Lees Long Period Of Inactivity to Slow Him Up Against Former Champ By BARNEY NAGLER Staff Correspondent NEW YORK, N. Y., June 12.— A pair of prehistoric punchers — Joe Louis, aged 37, and Lee Savold, aged 36— try to prove tomorrow night at the Polo Grounds that athletic senility doesnt begin, lets, say, before 40. The former world heavyweight champion and the British-supported pretender clash in a 15-rounder calculated by both to clinch a shot at the real boss-man, Ezzard Charles. Louis, making the sixth start of a comeback prompted by his humbling defeat by Charles last September, is the lopsided favorite to take Savold. The expectancy is for a knockout, however, and most of the wagering is being done on this basis. Louis is favored to win before the fifteenth round ends, and the odds are heavy against Savold getting Joe out of there quickly. The pick here is Louis by a kayo within 10 rounds. He will bust up Savold with jabs. The bout hasnt jelled as an attraction despite Louis magnificent record as a gate attraction when he had it. The fans are. reluctant to come out to see the man they didnt enjoy watching on television. Consequently, a gross of near 00,000 paid by some 10,000-plus is anticipated by the realists. The tickets are priced at .50 to 0 for reserved ringsides. The lowest price ducit went on sale this morning, with 20,000 of these seats available. There will be neither a television nor radio broadcast for the public. The International Boxing Club outlawed this when the top bid from a sponsor came to 1,000, and not the 2,500 advertised. Instead, the fight will go out on a closed-circuit to audiences in nine movie houses in six cities. Originally only Chicago, Cleveland, Albany, Washington, D. C, and Baltimore were to receive this closed-circuit telecast, but Pittsburgh was added to the list today. The selection of Louis is based on his activity. He has had half a dozen bouts since last November, when he essayed a comeback in the hope of avenging the. drubbing by Charles. Savold hasnt pulled earnest gloves on in more than a year and hasnt fought a genuine contender for three. He was on the heap and headed for retirement when he knocked out Gino Buon-vinp, a raggedy, round Italian, in Madison Square Garden three years ago. Off this wholly unexpected 54-second knockout, Tie got a match with Bruce Woodcock in London. He lost on a foul in four, but got a return for what the British preferred to call the world tile. Savold stopped our dear Bruce in four. So, in almost three years, he has had less than nine rounds of boxing. This comes to inactivity and certainly isnt preparation for a struggle with even a 37-year-old Louis, who has retained strength, stamina, a solid jab, a passable uppercut and pride above all else. Savold never was regarded as a competitor geared for distance. He is a fine front-runner, but falls back rapidly when the going is rugged. And he has never come through when the big one was involved. Years ago, his manager, Bill Daly, said: "Lee dulls up in the big ones." Theres no reason to expect it will be any different tomorrow night. Louis has forecast hell knock Savold " out within five rounds. Savolds rebuttal calls for a knockout "any time, but I can go all night." Daly says Savold "cant miss getting Joe out of there early." Louis expects to weigh 209 or 210, with Bavold at 190. They will weigh in at 12:30 p. m. in the State Athletic Commission dungeon in Worth Street. Savold came to town today and rested at the -Edison Hotel, while Louis is due to drive in tomorrow morning from Pompton Lakes, N. J. He has said this would be his last American bout if he lost. If he is set back, he expects to go to Berlin for a bout there on August 8 with Hein Ten Hoff , but a great deal depends on how he feels after tomorrows struggle. The ring at the Polo Grounds has been pitched over the pitchers mound, unlike other fights in the place, when the fight platform was set over second base.
