South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-06-21
BENNY LEONARD
PERFECT FIGHTER
New Champ is All Around
SCrapper and Popular
With the Fans.
BY RinSsidc.


International News Service:
CHICAGO. June p. - There is
only one thing to say in describing
Benny Leonard. the new lightweight
champion of the world. That is that
he is as near the perfect fighter as
the ring has known since the DAYS
OF Joe Cans, the wonderful Balu-
more Negro lightweight.
This little New Yorker. who
assembled the throne by knocking
out Freddie Welsh. the Briton. in
the ninth round. has everything that
a champion should possess in the
way of a boxing repertoire. That
means principally that he has the
punch. The wallop he carries i'm
both hands is of the calibre that
rocks an opponent TO sleep and
brings about a decisive result to
contests in which he is a partici-
pant
But with the punch alone Leonard
would have been unable TO get any,
where in his chosen profession.
With IL he combines a wonderful
left-hand jab which he shoots with
the accuracy OF a rifle bullet. So
fast does the new champion let that
left go that he has beaten many
rivals TO the punch, and these same
rivals were credited with being mar
wells as jabbers. That was the case
when Leonard met Richie Mitchell
in Milwaukee and knocked him out
in the seventh round
Defense Good.
Then there is the defensive side
OF the business to be taken into con-
sideratiOn. Benny I'm his march TO
the throne hasn't overlooked that
essential feature. although few Of
the critics have given him credit
for his great cleverness. The rea-
son they haven't is because they
have been blinded by his wonderful
work on the offensive
But the wise birds who tell Of
doings pugilistic have watched him
lin and out while he was blocking
oppoents with the precision of a
master.
There is another compliment
which must be paid to this Leonard
boy. and it is a compliment that
goes 10 few Of those who mingle in
the game Of fsticuffs I'm bedded in
Benny's small Uranium is a brain
worth it's weight in gold. II might
be called a fighting brain for Benny
uses il 10 sense out the other fell
lows tactics as tactician brains"
the move Of an adversary. Il one
20 20
of Leonard's think tank" in his
successful rise 10 the championship.
il is pretty near a cinch the per
centage figured would rank mighty
high.
Willing To Fight.
Leonard will fight any one at any
distance now that he has acquired
the title He has announced that
intention His popularity as a hit
ter cannot be questioned. To add TO
that. he is going 10 fight another foe
over the unknown distance. and
that foe is Germany. Who can say
that Leonard is not a credit 10 the
boxing game?
one Of the FIRST matches may he
a bout between Leonard and
FeatherweiEht Champion Johnny
Kilhane. OF Cleveland. 10 see who
is champion Of champions" Matt
Hinkel has offered 30 per cent OF
whatever asses the turnstiles for the
privilege OF staging the bout in
Cleveland.
Another hut urged is one he
tween Leonard ard Charley White
II is true that Bill Gibson has for
the last wear and half avoided a
match with White You can't blame
him for that as he was nursing his
boxer CAREFUL and didn't want -ucn
| a dangerous person as White and
| his left hook 90 spills the beans.
II might he mighty good stroke
| OF business for some enterpriSing
promoter in tho west 20 arrange a
battle OF this kind. Make "A pro-
vision that a percentage Of the re