The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-03-19

A
 welterweIsht champion. It will J be a long, long time before q more cheerful piece of news will reach boxing fans of this country
 Although Brittou and l belong to Dan Morgans stable and have been under his management for years, we have seldom had much to say to each other for the reason that ] have spent all my time training in Bridgeport, while he has prepared for his con tests at Billy Grupp's gymnasium in New York city. However, 1 am an admirer of Erittou, for I consider him the best fighter that ever donned a nlitt in the welterweisht division.
 When we consider the fact that Britton has been actively engaged fn boxing for more than a dozen years and that he is well past the score and ten years mark, we can better appre- ciate the remarkable feat he accom- plished In Ohio the other night \ better man could not have won the weIterweight championship.
 I, speaking as Q boxer and one who keeps tabs on the styles of all those in the game, can truthfully say that by knocking out Ted Kid" Lewis the other night Britton accomplished what was considered an impossibility. And there isn't a single boxing en- thusiast to be found anywhere ill this land who is not happy that Britton is the new titleholder.
 Britton IS boMng's wonderful old man. He has reversed the saying that age must give way to youth. Here Is Ted Lewis, a bright, energetic and ambitious youth with all the world l,;- nd in trast to him we have Jack Britton- thirty odd years, Is years ring ex~ perieuce and a family man. What a test! At a single glance the hasty reader would select the younger box CT. And there were hundreds who selected him in the Canton bout but now to their regret and bitter disappointment, for 1 am told by my manager that Britton never fought a better fight
 This information carries a deep meaning. It means just this: That Jack Britton is as good if not better than he ever was. This in spite of the fact that he is one Of the oldest men in the point of years and eN- perience in the ring. He has been fighting at the rate of two and three times q week for the past five year- and now along he comes and submits Lewis to one of the most artistic lac ings ever handed to a boxer.
 Britton will be a real champion for the very good reason that he is a gentleman and a very good boxer. He knows what 1t is to have an am bition and to nave a champion ridi- cuIe and belittle you by passing up. He has been through the mill. so to speak. And he is one chap who never forgats He will give all who believe they can beat him tho opportunity to snatch his newly won laurels from him.
 But Britton has little or nothing to fear now that he has eliminated beyond a single doubt that he Is Lewis master The knockout was clean. Britton is so far ahead of all the other welterweights in the coun- try that he need not and does not fear any of them. He is always to be found in condition.
 Most of those boxing fans with whom ] have spoken seemed pleased over the fact that Lewis Is no longer charnpion. There seems to be con siderable III feeling against the Eng ush1nan, but personally have found him a nice chap. Of course. Ted has his faults like everybody else who is human. He has been at odds with the public and boxers since he ana Joe Welling left Jimmy Johnston.
 Britton knows more about boxing than any fighter in the ring tOda That includes boxers in all chances Down fin Newark the night of the Benny Leonard-Ted Kid Lewis bour last Fall a little incident popped IF shat is demonstra tive of the esteem and respective boxers in his class have for him.
 Leonard and his manager, Billy Gibson; Kid Lewis and his manager Charley Harvey; Denny Morgan anC a group of newspapermen gathered a the Washington Hotel after the fgh at Weidenmeyer Park in Newark The boys were discussing the bout when Dan Morgan broke in and in troduced remarks praising his con tender, Jack Britton. The crowd list ened attentively, for they knew tha what Dan was telling them was ab solutely true Then suddenly Kit Lewis interrupted with:
 Well, I'll tell you boys, I would rather meet three Benny Leonard! than one Jack Britton."
 This remark attracted the atten ton of Benny Leonard who is char acteristioally quiet and anything bu taIka,tiv after a flight. He seldom discusses 6 fight in which he has figured. But that remark of Lewis was toe much for him and rnovinl