New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-21
Personal Touches Here
and There in Boxing
BY ICOE


great lightweight champion will have
testimonial ut the Harlem Sporting
Club, and every boxer in the city Will
be there TO do honor TO the gamester
who held the lightweight championship
against the best men the ring ever pro-
duced
II was proposed to have Lavigne and
Young Critic spar three two-mlnute
rounds. but the Boxing Commissioners
thought it best to have them merely
introduced. Sam Fitzpatrick will be the
band leader. Sam is the man who pilot
ed little Lavigne 70 the championship.
lie took him to England and Lavlgne
clinched the title of worlds champion
by knocking out Dick Burge.
Burge at the time was the English
lightweight champion. lie was thought
unbeatable, as he weighed fifteen
pounds more than the tiny American.
On the night that they fought the Lon
doners sat back speeches. when La
vigne crawled through the ropes to
beard the lion in his den. lie looked
like a boy.
There was different tune sung
when the American spittre threw on
third speed. His furious PUSHES ana
laundering fists soon brought the prlde
of England 10 board. After that Lon
don was Lavigre's for the asking. Ihey
had never seen a fighter OF his type
before, and he became an idol over
night
Lavigne is an old man now-old as
athletes 90, at least. He is still an
Il MI ha
the crowd at the Harlem Sporting Club
every man in the house got up on his
feet and yelled himself blue in the face
for the great champion that was. Many
an oldtimer looked up into the ring at
Lavigne with glistening eyes. Great
fighter was Laylgne. They don't hap
per often these days.
Freddie Welsh is just back from
Toronto. where he boxed for the benefit
Of the widows and orphans Of the
Canadians who have fallen at the front
Through Freds esorts $4,000 was
raised TO buy toys and goodies for the
unfortunate ones II has been long
time since Toronto has seen pro-
fessional spar They usually taboo
boxing across the border.
"Now that Benny Leonard IS regard
ed as one of the logical contenders for
the lightweight championship, and hav-
ing been matched to box Freddie
Welsh in New York before the club
Offering the best inducements 70 the
present champion and | understand
there is some hitch in the White
match, will be pleased TO have Leon
ard box Welsh twenty-round contest
for the championship before any club
in the United States.
"The promoters will have no trouble
doing business with me. An important
factor is-Leonard will accept any
weight terms which best suits the
champion. Leonard is one of the few
legitimate lightweights who can do 1873
pounds ringside with ease, and that
happens to be catchweights for him.
II trust Harry Pollock will come TO
a quick decision over the twenty-round
route"
Leonard won't have TO 60 begging for
matches now. Bonnie Joined the big
league the instant he cracked Mandot
on the jaw for a knockout. 1t was
quite the most surprising finale OF the
year. Leonard has never been rated
knocker-out. He has given his atten-
ton 70 speed, as a general rule.
Billy Gibson all but tainted from JOY
when Mandot was knocked almost into
his arms in that seventh round. The
Mayor Of The Bronx took one good look
at Mandot as he lay sprawled on the
floor, and then treated the customers
to a buck-and-wing dance that would
have made old Pat Rooney green with
envy. Billy whirled around like an
Arab tumbler, knocking seconds and
handlers down like ninepins. IL was
some time before Gibson could believe
that II was anything but dream.
Dan Morgan is on the warpath again.
The hairless wonder sends a broiling
message written in red ink on green
paper lie says thing or two about
Mr. Willard that will probably wreck
the cowboys whole life.
Says the speechless one:
LEVINSKY WINS AGAIN
"When Jess Willard reads the news
papers announcing the above he calls
\ 1. a Ill