The New York herald., 1921-12-21
LEONARD READY TO
BOX IN THIS STATE
In Defending Alliance Billy
Gibson Says Champion Bars
Only Rickard.
ny CHARLES r. MATHIsoN.

William Gibson. president of the Ma
tional Sports Alliance, in a defense Of
his attitude toward the Walker law
and Madison Square Garden writes as
follows:
Il am writing this letter, not as the
manager oe Benny Leonard, but as
president of the National Sports Ali
ance. in an article published in THE
NEW YORK HERALD of December IS
under your signature, / read the fol-
lowing:
Coupled with the attitude of the
champions is an organization by mana
gers and boxes. known as the National
Sports Alliance, in the membership of
which are all the champions and their
managers, These men are hostile TO
the Walker law as it stands and to
Promoter Tex Rickard. William Gibson,
manager of Leonard and president of the
nelly formed association, has publicly
announced that he will refuse to permit
Leonard to box for Rickard.'
First, l want to say that my troubles
with Rickard have absolutely nothing
to do with any organization. l have
always believed myself capable of
lighting my battles alone. and / still
believe that it is not necessary for me to
call together an organization to help
me.
Not Hostile to walker Law.
I'm the second place l want to take
decided exception to your statement that
the members of the National Sports
Alliance are hostile to the Walker law
and Promoter Tex Rickard. Senator
James j. Walker. father of the present
law. is one of the moving spirits in this
alliance. 1t seems queer that the father
OF the law should be hostile to it, does
1t not? Another thing, Leo p. Flynn,
Promoter Richards personal adviser at
the Madison Square Garden. not only
is member of the organization, but is
on the board of directors. Tex Rickard
was invited to join the alliance and
occupy a position of its advisory COM
mittee, but he refused.
"The National Sports Alliance was
founded because 1t was believed that
such an organization would work great
good for boxing. No one thought of
using it as a weapon in fight against
the Walker law or Tex Rickard. A
place is open for Richard in the alliance
and the father of the Walker law is one
Of the hardest workers for 1t.
Now, as manager of Benny Leonard,
/ want to say that ] will never have
anything to do with Tex Rickard My
reasons are my own, but, believe me,
they are sufficient. There are a couple
of other promoters in the country who
will never make penny through
Benny Leonard.
Leonard Ready Any Time.
Buffalo has an arena in which Leonard
could box, but hint that he refuses to
box there because he can no longer
make 135 pounds at 2 p. NJ, which is
| the recognized lightweight limit.
II am ready at any time to close with
Murray for Leonard to defend his tile
| in Buffalo. i am also ready to talk
business with any other promoter i'm
the State of New'York, barring Richard
Il can say positively that Leonard
will shortly defend his crown in New
York and will also, in all probability.
engage in a bout with another title
holder However, Mr. Tex Rickard will
have no part in the promotion of these
contests.
Benny Leonard has twice defended
his title in the Madison Square Garden
since the inception Of the Walker law
But one of these contests was staged by
Tex Rckard, and that was the yelling
bout Miss Anne Morgan arranged the
Richie-Mitchell bout. the profits of
which went to devastated France Had
Rickard sought this match he could not
have made it, for we were at the time
decidedly unfriend1y. Benny Leonard
may at some future date again box in
the Garden. but it will be because the
bout is being staged for some charity, as
in the Mitchell and Ward bouts He
will most assuredly never box there
under the direction of Tex Rickard.
please accentuate the point that
have tried to make clear-that my fight
with Richard will at no time be brought
before the National Sports Alliance !:
that the only reason for the organiza-
| ton Of the alliance was for the better
ment OF boxing"