The Washington herald., 1921-02-13
BY ROBERT EDGREN.

Jack Britton is one of the most
remarkable champions we've had
since the days of the great old
timers. At IS Britton is still in
vincible among the welter-weights
and holder of the championship in
that class. Britton fights more fire.
quently than any other champion in
any class. Risking his title is
nothing to Jack. He does it every
week or so. He has upset the old
theory that they never come
back" for he has lost the title and
won it again from the man who
beat him. After sixteen years in
the ring he still seems to stay at
the top of his fighting form-a
thing that no one but the great
Bob FitZsimmons ever did before.
Britton's real name is William
]. Breslin, and he is of Irish -Ameri-
can descent. He was born at Clin-
ton, n. Y, 1885. He began fighting
professionally in 1905 and was soon
mingIing with ali the crack feath-
ers and light-weights. Just ten
years ago he suddenly achieved a
reputation by fighting an eight
round draw with Packey MCFar
land, the master boxer of the light
weights in his time.
Packey always resented Britton's
claim to fame on the strength OF
this bout, and two years later met
him in two ten-round bouts. PaCkey
outboxed Britton although Britton
had been knocking out a lot OF
first-class light-weights and had
developed a remarkable degree of
skill. But Packey couldn't do
more than outlook Jack.
Both Mcfarland and Briton out
grew the lightweight class. Packey
never went after the welter-weight
title, but Britton did. The first of
his long series of fights with TED
kid" Lewis, the clever English
welter-weight, was fought in 1915.
ten-round no-decision affair.
That same year, in Boston, Lewis
won over Britton, taking decisions
in two twelve-round fights. Lewis
claimed the welter title.
In 1915 Britton beat Lewis in
twenty rounds, taking the title. He
| twelve-round bouts and fought two
cision twelve.
look as II Britton could outpoint
Lewis as long as he cared to. they
fought twenty rounds at Dayton
Ohio, Lou Bauman refereeing, and
Lewis won the decision and the title
Lewis refused to meet Brittor
again in a decision fight for some
time, but they boxed two no-deci'
sion ten FOUNDERS and two no-dsci.
sion six-round bouts in New York
Lewis was fighting like a champion
and had middle-weight aspirations
He even fought the great Mike Glib,
bons and gave Mike the liveliest
time of his life for ten rounds.
Britton Came Back.
Finally Britton and Lewis me-
again in a 20-round bout at Can.
ton, March IT, 1919. and Jacl
knocked the English fighter out IN
nine rounds and regained the cham
pionship, which he has held evel
since. He and Lewis have fough
nineteen times.
But Lewis hasn't been Brittonl
only notable opponent. Benny Leon
ard had a hankering for the weltel
title. As shrewd business mai
Benny realized that with two title
ION hlS 5NAAuBs anu a hhoChOul ONS
Johnny Kilbane, feather champion
he'd be a much greater attraction IL
the movies or in vaudeville, as wei
as in the ring. But Benny WASH
clever enough to beat the veteran
welter-weight. Britton was on
boxer who didn't have to take
boxing lesson from Benny.
After disposing of Lewis, Jacl
Britton did a lot of business will
Soldier Bartfeld, a tough, rugged
aggressive opponent, who had mad
good fights against Mike Gibbon
and many other first class men. H,
fought Bartfield four times in a row
on November IL, 16 and %, and De
cember- 20. 1918, all no-decisiol
bouts.
During the past year Britton ha
travelled around the United State
like commercial drummer. an,