The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-06
CANS AND LEONARD
EQUALLY MATCHED
Were Contest Between Them,
at Top Form Possible 1t !
Would Be Epochal.
LAvIGNE, GREAT sLUGGER
Lack Of Skill Deprives Saginaw
Kid Of Consideration as
Ring Master.
ny CROSS COUNTER.

ny CROSS COUNTER.
.what would happen to Benny Leon
ard and KID Lewis II they were called
on to meet two men Of the ability Of Joe
Cans and Kid Lavigner'
This question recently was asked. ana
IN such a manner as to convey the I'm
preston that Cans and Lavigne would
overwhelm Leonard and Lewis and thus
furnish proof that the boxers Of n quar-
ter OF q century ago were far superior
TO the ringsters OF the present.
II Is difiicult matter to ana q basis
for comparison. as Benny Leonard was
but two months Of age at the time that
Lavigne won the worlds lightweight
championship from Dick Burge in Lon
don. Lewis also was q fodder at this
date. Cans had been fighting six years
when Leonard and Lewis FIRST saw the
light. The negro was at his best then,
and when he finally got q chance to win
the title from Frank Erne In 1903 Lewis
and Leonard were each IN their seventh
year.
Yet, having studied both Cans and La
vigne at close range during their entire
efforts Of Leonard and Lewis In the
roped arena, the writer feels qualified to
speak OF the relative abilities of this
noted quartet Of boxers.
Lavigne . wildcat.
George Lavigne was q pugilistlc wild.
cat, and he never ceased his furious as
saults on opponents till he had con-
quered or the bell ended the final round.
Lavigne was not a good boxer, but he
was q bundle of compressed energy and
pugnacity. and his vitality was amaxing.
But George Lavigne was powerless
before a clever defensive boxer. and the
Saginaw Kid never succeeded In land
ing a knockout blow on an opponent
who was versed in the science OF self
defence. This was evident Mt the outset
OF his career, when he met George Sid
dons. the Mouse" in two astonishing
battles, the first lasting seventy-seven
rounds and the second fifty-five rounds,
both Of which were called draws.
Later on Lavigne's inability to over
come a clever boxer was accumulated.
He met Young Critic at Consy Island
october IL. 1895, in a twenty round bout,
and although Lavigne was at his best,
and never tried harder in his life. he
did not land on the Australian with
force enough to Jar him.
Kid Mcfarland, then . clever light
next man Of excellent defensive skill to
face Lavigne. They met in twenty -dve
round bout February 8. 1897. and Il
went the limit Lavingne tried everything
in his repertoire of punches. but failed
to bring down Mcfarland. Lavigne got
the decision Of the referee because OF
his aggressiveness, but no failed to score
a knockout
Erus nsM~a y.vs~u.
Frank Erne. also a clever defensive
boxer. then met Lavigne In q twenty
round contest at Coney Island. Septem-
Der IS, 1898, and the bout went the
limit to a draw. Then on July 3, 1899. at
Cheektowaga, near Buffalo. Erne took
the title from Lavigne on n referees
decision in a twenty round bout that
lasted the limit
Taking into consideration these his
torical facts we reach the conclusion
that Lavigne at his best would have been
unable to do any special damage to
Leonard, who certainly Is as clever a
boxer as either Mcfarland or Erne. and
Is a much harder puncher than were
Critic. Erne or Mcfarland.
Lewis as he stands to-day would
have made II very interesting for the
Lavigne who beat Burge, for Lewis Is q
vicious hitter. Lavigne gave away weight
10 Burge, who was a light puncher, but
Lavigne could not have conceded to
Lewis as much weight as Leonard did
at Newark and made as good a fight
Lewis could not hit Leonard with
effect, but Lewis would have hit La
rigne without any trouble Mt all. The
only reason that Walcott, did not put
Lavgne away was because the negro
was so weakened by making 1873 pounds
rlngside he could not hit with Gus
tomary force.
Cans Truly Great.
There is every reason to believe that
Cans was a better man in all respects
than Lavigne. Cans knocked out Erne
in one round. stopped Mcfarland in
i've rounds. twice knocked out Mike
Twin Sullivan. a weller. and was
beaten by decision in fifteen rounds By
Sam Langford in 1908 at a time whom
the Tar Baby was a lightweight As
Sam later in the same year was out
pointed by Danny Duane. II would seem
that Langford was not formidable in
his lightweight period. He was young
then however. and improved consider
ably.
With Cans and his best and Leonard
In top FORM a bout between them would
have been a sizzling AFFAIR. Compar-
ing the speed, boxing skill and hitting
power OF these great lightwe!ghts. they
seem to be 20 evenly matched that the
outcome OF the battle would likely hinge
on strategy or. endurance.
As to Lewis. our opinion is that
Cans would have triumphed because OF
his GOODNESS and hard, accurate hit
ting.