Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-25
JACK BRITTON
MADE FAVORITE
Veteran Carries Odds of 10
to 8 Over Leonard in
Tonight's Bout
MEET AT al POUNDS
BY JAMES S. CAROLAN

CHGBE PARK. historic battle-ground
~ and scene of more than one thrilling
engagement, with the diamond grapples
far in the majority. tonight will be the
main battle front in this sector. The
gladiators. kings OF their class, will be
the headlirers, and on paper it looks
the best card OF the year Not since
featherweight champion and light
weight champion clashed on the same
front eleven months ago has SO much
interest been taken in fight
Benny Leonard. youthful holder of the
lightweight title and one of the most
popular champions ever to appear here,
again will go out of his class when he
does battle with Jack Britton. former
welterweight champion, and admittedly
one of the craftiest of present day ring
warriors. Leonard, heavier and stronger
will oppose Britton. claimed to be just a
little better than when he fought Leon
ard in New York last october.
Breaks X. o. Streak
When Leonard was fighting regularly
and keeping near the lightweight limit
his speed. science and hitting powers
enabled him to walk right through every
thing in his class He rapidly was pling
up a record for consecutive knoCkouts
when he took on Britton. and it was
Britton's ability to go the required ten
rounds and still give Benny fight that
put crimp in the champions wonder
full n .. streak.
Brtton never has been knocked out.
When Leonard engaged Britton last fall
he underest imated the ability of his op-
ponent. for he figured that making i39
pounds alone was enough to beat the
veteran welter. The weight question
was the only thing which kept them
from the second clash. and not until
Leonard consented to permit Britton to
weigh in at l4l pounds was there any
thing doing in the way of clinching the
match.
Leonard just now is well over the
lightweight limit. Continued work in the
camp has made him stronger ana
heavier. and to get down TO real fight
ing weight would require long weeks OF
industrious training. What Leonard
needs to oppose the welterweights is
weight and strength. and if he shows
his oid-time ring generalship. speed
cleverness and hitting powers, then It
looks like a win for the Gotham idol.
But Britton cannot be overlooked IN
most of the big betting places yesterday
Britton was the fayorte, at odds ranging
from to 8 to 10 to y. 1t was said that
in the downtown section. where Leonard
has a great following. his hackers didn /
hesitate to lay odds of 3 to / and to >
on him.
Main Bout at 9
The wind-up will go on, at . o'clock
sharp. Two preliminarles and semi
wind-up will precede the main go. A
big delegation of visitors is expected,
Judging from the heavy advance sale.
The ring will be nearer the stands than
it was last season. having been moved
from over home plate to a spot mid
way between the home station and the
screen.
The promoters had planned to place
seats on the field and TO have at leas'
400 ringside. but the Shbe Park man
agement would not permit them to do
So for fear of cutting the turf The
ring is near the stands and the fans
should have no trouble in following the
course of the battle.
William Fl. Rocap, Sports Editor Of
the Public Ledger. will be the referee.
Billy Gibson will be in l.eonard's corner,
while Dan Morgan will attend to Brit
ton.
Herman Taylor and Bobby Gunnis
are the promoters. Jack Weinstein. who
became famous as the manager of Eddie
O'Keefe. Is the treasurer and worked
hard to keep the tickets out of the hands
of spectators.