Louis Landed The Harder Body Punches When He Got Conn On The Ropes90 percent of the boxing fans were for the Kid from Pittsburgh. The fight took a most amazing turn in the third and fourth rounds, with Conn ignoring the instructions of manager Johnny Ray for the first time. After continuing in full flight for 50 seconds, Billy Conn abandoned his bicycle and started to uppercut Joe Louis. Conn scored with a left hook and then two upper cuts. Billy Conn came off the ropes to jab Louis, two to one, and then opened a slight gash over Louis' left eye. Louis landed the harder body punches when he got Conn on the ropes but Conn had all the best of it as he came off the ropes constantly getting that uppercut home. The crowd went wild. In the fourth round Conn gave a hint of what was to prove his downfall when he'd elected to slug it out with Joe Louis toe to toe. Whether from surprise or what, Louis just stood still and took lefts and rights to the face without even one return punch. This flurry gave Conn his best advantage of the fight evening two rounds for each. The crowd was on its feet for almost all of the following rounds. Billy Conn Was On The Verge Of The Biggest Victory Of His LifeFrom the eighth, right through the 12th round. Conn took the fight away from Louis. Conn won four of these five rounds losing only the 10th by superior infighting and by making the champion look like an amateur. The 11th and 12 saw Conn landing repeatedly to the head and apparently getting stronger. Joe Louis was befuddled and, appeared to be tiring, though Billy Conn never had a reputation as a puncher. Joe Louis' face was smeared with both his own and Conn's blood, through both of these rounds Louis had a sad look upon his face as the end of the 12th round. Louis fell back against the ropes, after a hard right from Conn, he seemed thoroughly thrashed. Then came round 13. Conn manager begging almost tearfully: "Billy, stick and run... stick and run. Don't get careless. You've got the fight, you've got the fight. Stay away, Billy stay away. Billy Conn was on the verge of the biggest victory of his life. Will of the wisp Conn was no more, Billy Conn met Joe Louis in mid range with a hard right to Louis' chin. Billy Conn Went Down On His knees, Then On To His Face. Counted OutJoe took it and a left hook to the head. But this time Louis was ready with a return hook a left that had far more venom behind it than Conn's punch. This punch was the turning point of the fight. On it a tottering title went riding. Conn went backwards and the killer instincts in Joe Louis came to life. Louis knew, then, it was now or never. Louis had to make Conn quit in this round or he'd be an ex-champion the next day. Louis went to work with both hands to the head. Conn came right back at him and for the next minute the polo grounds was like an open air madhouse. There was consistent screams of every kind as the pair of them pounded each other with head punches for a full minute. Louis finally caught him with another left to the pit of the stomach which brought Billy Conn's hands down and made his knees buckle. Louis came in with a looping right, caught the fighting Irishman flush on the side of the jaw. Conn went down on his knees, then on to his face. Counted out. Great Fight. |
Starring Role in "The Pittsburgh Kid" MovieBilly Conn was nicknamed Conn, "Pittsburgh Kid," is best known as the light heavyweight boxer who almost dethroned the great master technician Joe Louis on the18th June 1941... Billy Conn led on all three judges scorecards after 12 rounds of the fight but was knocked out by Louis late in the 13th round. Conn became a celebrated boxer in defeat that he was given starring role in a movie, called "The Pittsburgh Kid." ..... Discharged after serving in the Army during World War II, Billy Conn was given rematch with Joe Louis on the 19th of June 1946. That fight drew the second largest boxing audience in history at that time, nearly $2 million, out of that sum of money Billy Conn earnings was $325,958. | |
