El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-10-30
BENNY LEONARD
REFUSES FIGHT.
WITH c. WHITE
Champion Lightweight Is
Being Pursued by Man
ager of Chicago Boxer.
JOHNNY DUNDEE is
ALSO AFTER BOUT

- dlCAGO, III. oct. So Benny
Leonard may be champion All
~ right. but how can they call
him the greatest lightweight we ever
had when he hasn't even agreed TO
meet the three best secoud-raters in
the business"
This modest query was flung off
here few days ago by James JOY
Johnston. New York manager and
boxing imprescri0. as he dashed west
ward with Ted Lewis. welterU eight
champion Lewis and Johnston we've
on their way 20 the coast. where
Lewis has several bouts lined up.
johnson Is sore.
James was in truculeut mood and
he brought forth his woods of con-
demnation Of the conqueror OF Fred
dy Welsh and Johnny kIhaue wl It'll
on both shoulders BE talked .iEc he
would fight at the drop of the Flt
and was willing 20 drop the hat hill-
self
That's exactly what mean"
r0ared the boy bandit OF Gotham
AYES. he's champion because he
got n technical knockout over the
Old champion. but why doesn't he
battle Charley White or Joe Welt
ing or Johnny Dundee: Did Won
ever hear Leonard or his MANI
Eer give any reason for not meet
ing one Of these three I never
did.
White has an excellent claim fo-
match with Leonard. His claim IS
recOg nized everywhere. but you don't
see Leonard agreeing 10 auv-hil-z
That looks like match. do Tou2 Why
hasn't Joe yelling a right 20 insist
upon a match with the champion
wI Dundee v-nn "a.
everything that has been asked Of
u-m, is pining for a match ana Eriev-
ing his heart out because OF Beuuv's
silence.
Leonard Not Lightweight.
Want 20 know the reason for all
this coupled with the reason Leon
ard is taking on Jack Britton. q near
a burst OF feeling. well. this is the
reason, and it's q betting proposition
with me Leonard is no more OF
lightweight than Brittou- He can't
do 1873 pounds 20 save his lie
~Tu put Up $500 and donate il
70 any fund named II Leonard
viii agree TO meet v cling IT
I33 pounds ringside. Joe can
make It. He weighed only trifIc
more than that when he boxed
Jimmy Duffy in New York
IL have been bowling about Leon
ara weight for long time and iu-
tend 90 keep right along until I exc
pose this fellow I am not so sue
about Charley Whites weight. but ]
know Dundee can box srrouE at 1e3
pounds riuEside.
why should Leonard 20 out OF his
class 70 meet Jack Brittou at 1sg
pounds. when there are men I'm his
own division that are just aching TO
get az him. and good men. too2 I
happen 20 know that BritrOu weighed
more than 15u the other uiCht- How
do sou imagine he is going To- get
down 90 1892 There's some fooliug
with the cards somewhere"
Walsh FavOrS Leonard.
James laid himself open To- an ar
gument right away when he spilled
all this talk. and Tommy Walsh took
up his cudgels in defence Of Leonard
Walsh recently had Vic Moran in New
York 90 meet Leonard. and the cham
piou climbed on the scales. despite
the fact that he might have eZer-
cised the champions preroeative and
declined 10 weigh in walsh says
Leonard weighed 1919 in his ring
clothes
"J0huson's assertion that Leonard
is a welterweiEht Is too broad. walsh
said. leonard is a real lightweight.
no question about that Johnston
told me they must have had tho scales
docrored on me. hut Moran weighed
on the same scales and I know his
weight was right
sIeOnard f. short and has
Stocty legs md his big shoulders
and chest make hini look like "a
yyclteryveiEht. but I can not he
lieTe he II cheating in the least"