Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-29
Contender Halls Attack
Momentmily to Ans,cer
Leonmds Quips When
Champion Is in Bad Shape
"CONNED" OF CROWN
BY LOUIS Fl. JAFTE
~ WILLIE fisht fans IN PHILADELPHIA ar

WHILE fight fans IN Philadelphia are
w still in the throes Of heated discus.
sion over the Leonard Tender bout,
NV are taking into consideration an
important phase Of the conflict which
md A direct bearing on the result.
Benny Leonard talked a good fight"
,The champion talked Tender out Of
scoring a knockout. or, at least, a
knockdown. Everybody who was there
admits that It was a rather rough and
stormy eighth round for Leonard, but
NO one knows how much stormier or
rousher It would have been for the
trigger. drained Ben had he not started
to talk to the challenger.
Stunned. weakened, groggy and on q
descent to the canvas. Leonard held
himself from going down by wrapping
his arms around his terrific southpaw-
seeking foe. While in this embrace,
Leonard managed to mutter to Lew :
"That was a good punch" meaning the
left uppercut that knocked the champion
woo5y.
And phen Referee Harry Ertle,
q pko, incidentally, agreed 10Th ma
joriiy Of the rin0side critics that
Leonard had ICON on points, sepdr-
oted them, Benny, still ,coozp and
weakened, continued to converse,
sg,y s1s1'! that pune" ''"'"--'0"' o" and
THIS chatter appears to have saved
i the champion from what might
have resulted in his undoing. Tearing
IN, with his vicious left poised. Tend.
Ter suddenly stopped. scowled ut Leon
ard and answered: "I'm fighting-why
don't you?" at the same time waving
his mighty mitt in disgust at Benny.
Mutters Some More
Leonard muttered some more. and
Tender answered back motioning with
his left to convey the fact to the cham
pion that Benny was way of in his
gossip. This conversation came at the
psychological moment, and the slight
hesitancy In continuing his attack vir-
tually ruined the challenger's 8 chances of
scoring q knockout.
1t was the greatest piece Of light
talk" known to fistic histOry-there
IL no doubt that It stopped Tender II
only for moment. in his valiant at
tempt to lay the titleholder low, and
there is every reason TO believe that It
was Of great benefit to Benny.
Leonard ,cas ,oilling to admit that
he did not kno,o sohat 10 .oas talking
sbo1t ,eAen, IN he training comp at
Bxdda Loke, he iwsinsated that
"":o.'Ago:e' '0ere ''soker'' for Benny
A FTER his grueling mix.up with
"A Lew, Benny readily agreed:
"Southpaws are hard to solve. :"
Continuing, the champion. in his
smooth smooth way. said: They furnish a
natural pose. From the very beginning
had hoped to win by knockout, and
naturally was disappointed because l
did not.
Boosts Lew
II have to hand it to Tender for the
battle he gave me. He fought me all
the way and had to keep on the 80
oil the time. l tried as hard as I
could to score O knockout.
II was in the best Of condition and
was sure that would win by the
knockout route. I don't think that
anyone can say that I was saving
Tender for another engagement. That
would be unfair to him as we'll as to me.
II showed everything I had, and /
am convinced that I was the winner by
margin clear enough to satisfy anyone
who saw the fight. hope the big
crowd that was there was pleased.
want every fan to know that tried
my hardest, but. as l have said before,
southpaws are hard to solve
Leonard ,ciI leave tomorrow for
Michigan CITY, Ind, tchere he is to
meet EVer Hdmmer in a ten round