TIME
August 9, 1948 12:00 AM GMT-4
Though an old man of 33, Gus Lesnevich still seemed to have his future before him. World’s light heavyweight champion, he was also a likely contender for Joe Louis’s heavyweight crown. Old Gus, who has knocked 58 opponents galley-west in 75 fights, climbed into the ring at London’s White City Stadium last week to meet Britain’s clumsy, shaggy-haired Freddie Mills. For nine rounds they hardly touched each other. The referee warned them repeatedly: “Now, boys, this is a championship match. Let’s have some action.”
Then in the tenth, Mills suddenly came to life. He threw a good roundhouse right and a succession of hooks. Gus went down twice. He managed to finish the fight, but lost his light heavyweight crown, and just about any chance he might have to succeed Joe Louis.
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