The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-01
WELSH'S CUNNING
Is WHAT SAVES HIM
IN LEONARD BOUT
Lightweight Champion Out
pointed in Nearly Every
Round If Garden Bout.
BENNY HAS FREDDIE
GOING FAST IN SEVENTH

Benny Leonard Ia not yet lightweight
champion. hut he came near winning the
title last night at Madison Square Gar
den. He outpointed Freddie Welsh. the
Englishman who defeated Willie Richie
for the worlds honors Of this particular
class.
II was a thrilling ten round battle, one
Of the best engagements Of this or any
season. and Welsh has NJ reason to feel
disgraced at his showing. He met a
man cool. crafty and clever. The Brit
Usher fought every minute of the way. bu,
his stiffening sInews had to give way to
the vigor and dash OF youth. Blu for the
cool and calculating cunning of the vet
cram, Leonard would have grasped the
title without further ado. Several times
Benny had Sir Frederick in distress, well
spent of the speed and fury. But al
WAYS on such occasions the Englishmau
called into play his great generalship.
which he had learned in the school Of
tough experience.
What the result would have been had
there been no limit to the length OF the
encounter is a matter open to srecula-
ton. Welsh was far from spent at the
Anal bell. In the last round he teamed
up to the highest pitch. trying for enc
redeeming punch. and he did hit Leonard
hard, too. But of the two Leonard was
the fresher.
Experts who saw the bout SAID
Leonard will he the nest Lightweight
cha mpion II nothing happens to him.
They added that last nights night SAonld
prove an experience almost az valuable
as all his other 2jn odd ring battles
combined.
Welsh called into play every trick and
strategy of his fertile brain. NJ close
quarters. especially, ne took advantage
cf the youths innocence. He elbowcd.
shouldered and butted Kenny. but always
70 cunningly that the referee didn't
catch him at IL.
Welsh was a dancing master. but ne
fought as couragcously as the challenger.
He was "A marvel at defence. but the
rhenomenal speed Of Leonard broke
down this defence. Benny shifted about
n opened his batteries from so many
directions that Freddie soon decided 20
make a give and take affair of ii.
II was a hammer and tongs aNair
during the early rounds. but from the
third on Leonard began 20 draw away.
HrSt "a shade AZ a llIN' anu lH'u III
spurts until in the seventh Welsh's only
hope Of victory lay in a knockout.
Until the seventh Welsh's blocking
was a thing Of beauty. Then the local
lad rushed in and ripped Freddie's body
with a dozen well placed lefts and rights
and had the champion leg weary and
blown when the gong changed.
Rally after rally marked the second
round. with little damage to either party.
c..,,i,r ,b. thiyl Walsh rn.lpI IppnN
with a wicked right. lie repeated the
blow "A few seconds later. hut Leonard
retaliated with a good left hook flush
on the Jaw and half a dozen snappy
straight lefts. on which there was no
Comeback.
The fourth was l.eonard's All the way
He tried a score Of times to measure
Freddie for the right and did land sew
eral times. but for the most part tn.
Englishman would spill his mar befor.
he could wing the right home. Welsh
also got inside the right a lot. But seN'
eral times this good right did whistle
home with effect. once flush on the jaw
and again to the face. and wiped out
many times the several left jabs tina,
Welsh got to the mark.
The tfih was Welsh's hes round
Time after time ne bored in recklc,sly
raining let's and rights to I,cnuy's hea,
and body. He popped i.eouard's mead e
one sid with a left hook and IN Il rally
Just before the gong cut Benny's left ey.
badly.
In the sixth Welsh contented himsel'
with playing for the body with his left
Leonard continued to stab with the lef'
as he walked around the Britisher an'
PLAYED the right TO the body in wei
meant uppercuts.
Through the eighth and ninth round,
Leonard continued to play for the bod,