The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-30
S5O,OOO OFFERED FOR BOUT BETWEEN
 BRETON AND LEWIS
Rival Ringmen Have Met 17 Times AIready-BritiSherS Are Anxious for Eight
 eenth Bout
IL, JAMES |. coRnETT

A $50,00O purse has been hung up by English promoters for the eighteenth meeting between Jack Britton and Ted CKid'D Lewis. All of which is most remarkable testimonial to both fight CTS and to the honesty of their other meetings. They have battled each other as often, if not oftener than any other fighters in history. Yet their next clash attracts the biggest purse ever held out with the welterweight cham mpionship of the world at stake.
 Lewis and Britton first began swap ping punches with each other back In 1915. The 17 contests since that time have involved three decision victories for Lewis. three decision defeats for Lewis, two exhibition bouts, one draw. eight no o-decision contests and one l,i lockout. The knockout was scored on March 17, 1919, with Lewis ou the re ceivinG end. As a result of it. lirittop became title-holdcr of the ciass.
 The men are so closely matched now and have been ever since they begun mixing it that it is an even money proposition-take your enoice- when- ever they climb into the ring. A ccr- tain animosity of one for the other ai- ways has spurred them on to thelr best efforts and every round Of every f.ghg in which they have mixed it has been E furry or action and aggressiveness.
 The Britton-Lewis aFlair will he fought out in London either on Febru- ary II or February 1G. Rubc Welsh who is promoting the fight has se- cured Albert Hall, an immense arena. and the interest already is So great that 1t is certainty that the vast auditorium will be damned with fistic enthusiasts. They like Lewis over there-and they've heard much of Brit ton.
 Lewis has staged q splendid come back since his Illness of more than a year ago He was attacked by jaun- dice at the time. taken to q hospital, had eight different doctors working over him and was laid up for over two months. Sleeping sickness aggravated lis condition, For a time il was thou,shs he wouldn't recover. When finally dismissed from the hospital, Lewls was but shadow of his former self and it took many months for him to get back to physical fitness. It was feared earlier that he might never again climb into the prize ring
 But the great wclterweight went back to England. recovered his health and resumed fistic operations. Withia few months he won both the welter weight and the middleweight cham pionships of Europe He became champion of the 147- poundors by beat ing Johnny Basham in l9 thrilling rounds and disposed of Johnny Bee, the middleweiEht king, in five rounds. Lewis returned to the United States several months ago and began gun ming for a match With Mike ODowd. the husky middle ewe eight. Lewis per mitted to be spread the story that he weighed 160 pounds The real fact Is | that he weighed l45 Npounds for that /; fight and he probably will not weigh any more when he meets Britton in February.
 | Hes in better shape right now than ever in his life,' comments Charles l Harvey, his manager. "He'u give Brit
 ton an awful lacing and surely will
 regain his title.'
 Huh" retorts Dan Morgan, pilot oc ! Britton. Huh Brtton knocked him i out in nine rounds in their last fight.
 He won't take that lor.s in their next meeting"
 | Bring 'cm on" cry the Londoners. Copyright, 1920, by King Features
 Syndicate. lnc)