New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-29
Former Champion Knocked
Out in Hard Battle at
Manhattan Club a
By FRED HAWTHORNE

Benny Leonard Is the new light
weight champion Of the world. He
earned the highest honors In the class
by virtually knocking Freddy Welsh
out after one minute and fifteen Sec
onds OF fighting in the ninth round.
Kid Mcfarland stopped the night 10
save Welsh from certain Knockout.
The old champion put up good tight
as long as his strength was Sufficient
to withstand the youth, the speed and
the furious aggressiveness Of Leonard.
At the start Of the ninth round Leon
ard rushed from his corner and met
Welsh as the latter left his chair.
Benny started tornado OF left and
right hooks to the jaw. Welsh put up
his gloves to protect his jaw. but the
blows came faster and harder and.
finally, the old champions hands
dropped to his sides and Leonard
leaped in and shot over q terrific left
hook TO the side of the Jaw. Welshs
knees buckled and he half slipped 10
the floor in the southeast corner Of the
ring. He pulled himself up by the
ropes and stood there, swaying. dizzy
and almost defenceless.
Leonard, eager, relentless. but wild
with excitement now that he saw a
worlds championship within his grasp,
battered furiiously away at she fast
! failing Welsh. Again the champion
went to his knees, and again the friend
ly ropes came to his assistance.
There he stood, a pitiful picture,
one arm along the ropes to support
him, his face a bloody thing and his
eyes glazed. But Leonard knew no
pity there, and kept shooting vicious
rights and left hooks 70 the head.
Mcfarland had started 10 count the
first time Welsh fell to the door. As
the losing champion wilted under the
merciless storm Of blows, he never left
the shelter of the ropes. When Me-
Partland saw that Freddie WAS prscti-
cally out on his feet, he jumped in be-
tween the men and waved Leonard
away.
Welsh apparently did not realize
what had happened. He slid weakly
along the ropes, waving his gloved
arms in protest
As soon as the crowd knew what had
como TO pass full sized riot Of Joy
broke loose. A wave Of shouting hu-
mainly swept out of the seats and
broke in large rollers into the ring.
Those at the press seats were swept
aside.
Chairs we're smashed and Leonard
was almost trampled underfoot by
those who fought TO shake hands or
even touch the new champion.
The special police were powerless to
bring quiet to that mad and struggling
mob, and it was not until Leonard lit
orally fought his way out Of the ring
that some semblance Of order began.
Harry Pollok. manager of Welsh, ran
| from one side of the ring to the other,
telling the newspaper men that Nc
Partland had erred in stopping the
| fight, and that Welsh had not been
given count. But to those who sat
at the ringside il was plain that Nc
Partland did the right thing in saving
Welsh from being battered into uncon-
sciousness.
For Welsh, let it be said that he
went down with his colors nailed to
the mast Leonard had the better Of
the first six rounds, but in the seventh
Welsh opened up and fought like 3
tiger, Earring Leonard's head with stiff
jabs and hooks.
The eighth was even, and that
marked the old fellows last effort
Welsh won the title he lost last
night from Willie Richie in London.
gaining the decision in twenty rounds
on points.