Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-18
UPSETS FREQUENT IN RING BOUTS,
AND JACK HANLON LOOKS FOR ONE
WHEN LEONARD AND WAGOND CLASH
Olympia Matchmaker Insists Italian Lightweight
May Surprise Like Willie jackson, but if
There's Upsetting Bennys Likely to Do 1t
By LOUIS II, JAFFE
uDENNY LEONARD and Eddie wagond

UDENNY LEONARD and Eddie Wagond
ID are going to box at the Olympia
A. A Monday night" said Jack Han!on
today Certainly I'm going through with
the bout Why shouldn't l. Is there any
one else around here to match with the
champion? Philadelphia fans want to see
Benny box and they will get the chance
Monday night No matter who l would
have selected for Leonard he would have
looked like a rank outsider. That Is natural
Nevertheless" continued Matchmaker
Hanlon, "in getting Wagond | think that
| have signed up "A good defensive boxer.
He appealed to me the night he went the
limit with Charley White and gave White
hard bout There has been howl around
town for more than two years why local
| talent isn't given a chance against the top
! notchers I'm giving Wagond the oppor-
! tunty and the Olympia management viii
| stand the consequences. If any one Is to
get hurt the Olympia will look out for that
No Boxer Invincible
This is only a portion of Matchmaker
lack Hanlon's story why the Leonard
Wagond bout on Monday night is one that
should not be abused Hanlon explains that
no boxer is invincible and the lightweight
champion is no exception to the rule. I'm
knOwnS nave come 10 the IOTt anu SCOTtu
knockouts or won bouts Unexpectedly time
and again. and Hanlon says that Wagond
has just the slightest chance of putting one
over.
"Ill agree that Wagond has no reputation
as a knockerout," declared Hanlon, hut he
is a hard puncher Yes, he is wild doesn't
measure his blows and misses often. But,
at the same time. Leonard is liable to be
caught off his guard, and he may step in
front of a wild one If Wagond would
knock down Leonard, 1t would be the great
est surprise of the present time. No,
don't think Wagond will do it, but he
might
Jackson Put 1t Over
Did you expect Willie jackson to knock
out Johnny Dundee? Many believed 1t
would be soft for Dundee. No one ever
dreamed that jackson would outpoint Dun
dee, let alone knock out a man who never
had been put to sleep before ! could name
dozen other instances when the dope
was crossed, and often the under dog
wasn't expected to have a look-in.
"Al Mccoy was looked on as a big bum
and still doesn't carry much prestige. Who
thought he would knock out George Chip?
And with this unlooked-for result. a cham
ponship changed hands in a no-decson
bout. Wagond has exactly the same chance
A wild punch. one that would knock out
Leonard, would win for the Italian the
| lightweight utle'
| Same in Olden Days
| Nobody figured that Louisiana would
| knock down Kid Williams and come within
| a second of knocking out the then bantam
champion. 1t was the same way in
| the olden days. Jack Mccormick, vlr-
| tually unknown, knocked out Kid Mccoy,
one of the greatest boxers of all times.
| Somebody is going to upset Leonard,
and itAmay be a novice. Don't you think
it is North while experimenting with fell
| low like Wagond, a fellow with good
| guard and hard punch, even though wild?"
No Show for Wagond
| The only distressing feature of the bout
| is that the other fellow apparently has
| no show. He has been selected as "soft
one" and the boxing fans are worrying only
on just how long the battle will last. II
Leonard is in shape and tries he should
knock out Wagond before the sixth round
hoves into sight. If not, Eddie will stay
but the result will be unsatisfactory. The
spectators at the show expect to see the
rugged Italian take the count.
This is not sporting proposition. Il
is like a match race between omar Khay'
yam and an invalid truck horse. The othei
fellow will not give the fans run fol
their money. Leonard is king of the light
weights and admittedly is one of the bes
little men who ever donned the gloves. H,
has beaten the best men in the world and
proved that he fears no one. That being
the case, why should he be matched will
wagond. who never has shown anything
but an ability to take punishment?
Thomas Bout Disgusting
Charley C"Kid'D Thomas boxed Leonard
last winter and the battle was so one-sideo
that 1t was disgusting. Like lamb being LED
TO slaughter Thomas went through rounC
after round until he finally succumbed Il
the merciless punches and sank helpless
and bleeding msss TO the floor.
We want no repetition Of this. BoxlnI
In PhEadelphia Is toe popular and the audi
ence should NOT stand for II. Match
msker Hanlons logic is sound however
and It may be that he is right. II is tru
that unknowns have sprung the biggest sur
prlses in the boxing game and that Wagon,
is one of the toughest boys in Philadelphia
II must have been hard TO select an opD0
nent for Leonard. and Wagond APPARENT,
IL the best man that could be procured,
But why stage another sl4urhferg "a