Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-09-20
LEWIS FIT FOR
LEONARD FIGHT
Experts Predict That He Will
Win From the World
Wonder Lightweight

A number of New York boxing men
went over to Long Branch to see Ted
(kid) Lewis, the worlds welter-
weight champion. put few touches
on his training for the scrap with
Benny Leonard over in Newark next
Monday night. They were very much
impressed with his condition and are
of the opinion that he will be in his
very best form when he enters the
ring.
Lewis has not gone at his work too
strenuously. He weighed las pounds
month ago. He has not reduced
speedily. for he weighs 142 pounds.
But he has hardened his muscles we'll
and says that when he climbs into
the ring he will tip the beam at
about 13s pounds, which is an easy
mark for him to make.
Il hear that some of my friends
are saying I will underweigh Leon
ard" remarked Lewis. II may and
may not. 1t all depends on what
Benny weighs. l shall not reduce be-
low a figure that would leave me
weak and unable to recover should 1
be hurt. 1 will weigh just enough
to be at my best physically and still
be low enough to be faster than
ever was before"
Fully 200 spectators, including John
Smith. chairman of the New Jersey
| boxing commission. watched Lewis
box four rafting rounds with Jack
London. London is a strapping 175-
| FOUNDER who in one of his first ring
contests met Harry Greb.
In the very first round Lewis hook
| ed right to London's jaw and the
! heavyweight was loored. He arose
Immediately and Lewis let up the ter
! rifle pace to save his sparring part
ner. The second and third frames
were purely exhibitions of boxing,
but the fourth was a regular slug
! fest.
Lewis will surely beat Leonard"
| said London after the exhibition. II
have trained Leonard many times and
let me tell you Lewis can outlook and
outhit him. I Also, Lewis can take a
punch better than Benny. I can hit
| pretty hard, but Ted doesn't mind
how hard I mix with him."
While at the training camp Chair
man Smith announced that Patsy
Kline, of Newark, had been appointed
referee for the coming battle.
Lewis has many supporters, and
among them are some excellent
| judges and students of boxing Among
these is Charley Harvey, who for sew
eral decades has been a prominent
| figure in the sport as a manager.
matchmakers and promoter. Harvey
! likes Lewis chances.
Il think Lewis will win" said he.
! There is only one advantage over
him that Leonard claims. That is his
punching power. He is the much
| harder hitter of the two.
| TT Is my opinion that Lewis box
ing style makes him just the type of
| opponent to beat a man like Leonard.
wonderful as the latter is. Lewis
true worth has never been fully ap-
preciated by the average run of fans.
He is a really great boxer. He is not
! as spectacular as Leonard, but he is
/ there.
Lewis style will disconcert Leon
ard and initiate severely against him
Lewis is a very difficult man to fight.
He is moving all the time and hitting
| from all angles. Leonard is wonder
| fully fast. but he has to set himself
to deliver an effective punch. Lewis
doesn't. He punches going and COM
/ ing. He strikes when in and out of
| position and from unexpected angles.
| 1t is hard for this reason to outguess
or beat him to the punch.
Then he is the more experienced
man; and more cunning one. He is
I the most crafty opponent Leonard has
ever been pitted against. That takes
| in Freddie Welsh. He Is a graduate
of the 20-round game. Taken by and
large, the men he fought were of bet
! ter caliber than those Leonard faced
Another thing that must be taken
into consideration is the physical con-
dition of the two young men. Lewis
! will outclass Leonard in this respect
He has been boxing steadily right
| along, is always in training and is
| right on edge. Leonard's work in
camp is of a nature that tends to
slow up a boxer. Battling Levinsky
is an example. He is not half as
fast as he was before he became a
/ military boxing instructor. If he had
the time to train, Leonard, no doubt
/ could get in just as fine fettle as he
was when he conquered Welsh, but
that is impossible for him now.