The Washington herald., 1921-02-27
1 Excels "Old Master" In Aggressiveness

him fat for a count of several Sec
onds.
Mitchell's class showed when he
got up after the second knockdown.
met Leonard's charges and knocked
the champion down in turn with a
hard hook on the chin.
Leonard was in exactly the posi-
ton of Joe Cans in his second and
third fights with Dal Hawkins. In
each OF these fights Dal knocked
Cans down and nearly out with a
left hook on the chin in the first
round. Each time Cans deliberately
took a nine-second count. got up
and fought defensively until he re-
covered, and then knocked out Haw-
kins.
Leonard rose to his knees, turned
toward his corner and nodded to his
brother Charlie and Billy Gibson to
show that he was still in the fight,
took nine seconds, and getting up
deliberately. used his skill and
speed in defense until he recovered.
when he went to the front again
and knocked Mitchell out.
Leonard Studies.
Like Cans. Leonard is a student
of boxing. Cans learned much of
his great skill by following Robert
Fitzsimmons around the country
and watching all of his exhibitions.
Cans always said Fitzsimmons was
the greatest OF all boxers in his
time.
Leonard has studied anatomy to
learn the effect of blows. and has
picked up and tried all the best
combinations used by other boxers.
He practices the delivery Of a blow
thousands of times, until he per-
fects it in every detail.
Cans could hit equally hard with
either hand. So can Leonard. But
Benny has even a better left than
Cans had. He either lands the
knockout or starts his man going
with left-hand body punches. This
was the way he whipped Welsh.
robbing him Of his speed of foot
by hammering lefts into his body,
and then polishing him of with
rights.
When Willie Ritchie nearly
knocked Benny out in that four
round San Francisco fight, Benny
came back, with left-hand body
punches that slowed Willie up and
took the danger out of his rushes,
| then turned the tables on him in
the last half of the last round.
Leonard Ii Aggressive.
In one thing Leonard is a greater
fighter than Cans was and entirely
different in style. He is endlessly
| aggressive. Cans was as great a
counter hitter as Fitzsimmons, and
was usually satisfied to stand back
xvtN T.
position, to block or slap aside blows
and then use his short and deadly
counter strokes. Cans didn't move
fiashy foot work of bantam
weight.
Just how. Leonard would COM
pare with Battling Nelson. when the
Dane was champion, is a question
The Danes iron endurance wore
down many great fighters and might
have offset Benny's flashing skill
I think he would have beaten
Wolgast or Ritchie within twenty
rounds. but Tender, Jackson. Dun
dee, Mitchell, White and the modern
lot, boxers or sluggers, are below
| his class. Charlie White claims
much credit for having hit Benny
on the chin, knocking him through
the ropes. But Benny came back
after that punch-usually a sleep
producing wallop-and knocked out
White. '''-
Leonard's private life is ideal. He
Is model for any boy. He lives
quietly at home with his mother
trains conscientiously. avoids all
forms of dissipation. Is modest, de-
cent and as creditable q champiou
RlovA
toopyrishts 1871, BY Bell Syndicate, Ine.,
Kanawha Juniors Elect.