The New York herald., 1922-07-26
LEONARD LIKELY TO
BATTLE HIS BEST
Indications Point to Hard
Contest With Tender in
Jersey Tomorrow.
BOUT WE'LL ADVERTISED
Legend Of Champions Wrath
+, Over Loss of Forfeit Has
Helped Immensely.
BY w. 8. M'GEEHAN.

BY w. o. M'GEEAANs
Benny Leonard. lightweight cham
pion. and Lew Tender. the Philadel-
phia left handler. will box twelve
rounds tomorrow night a& Boyle's
Thirty Acres in Jersey City before
what is sure to be the biggest house
ever collected for lightweight con-
test. Tex Rickard, the promoter. who
seldom Is wrong In forecasting such
things, believes that there will be
something like 100000 worth Of GUS
toners in the big wooden saucer when
the champion and the contender step
in for the main event.
Whether the bout Is to be "grudge
fight" as has been limited, or just a
twelve round boxing bout between two
Of the cleverest young business men
In the ring, the interest certainly has
been well worked up. Looking back
on it now Leonard certainly should
be grateful to Tender for claiming
the weight forfeit at the time their
other match went wrong.
This legend Of Leonard's righteous
wrath over losing the forfeit certainly
has helped to ballyhoo this bout into
the next biggest thing since the Demp-
sey-Capentier affair. If the two men
had fought when they previously were
signed up their bout might have drawn
a mere $4,000, which would have been
considered big money In the days OF
Cans and Nelson but which to real
Cd tka
would be mere chicken feed.
Champion a 4 to Favorfte.
The betting. what there IS OF It. favors
the champion. He's a to shot. The
betting always Is with the champions
until they inadvertently stick their
chins into bunch Of knuckles. In ono
Of his recent fights. the one with
Richie Mitchell, Leonard did that little
thing but 1t was not a ten second punch
that landed. The champion sat and
meditated until his head cleared. Then
he got up and flattened Mitchell.
1t is hard to tell just how good a
fighter Leonard really is because so
many Of the bouts in which he has ap-
peAred have looked like business ar
rangements. But when Leonard wants
to fight he can show class that Is de-
cidedly reminiscent of the best OF the
old time lightweights.
Whether he will show at his best to-
morrow night remains to be seen. There
is no reason to believe that this will not
be an earnest attempt on the part OF
Tender to knock Leonard loose from
the lightweight title and an equally
earnest attempt on the part OF Mr..
Leonard to prevent 1t.
1t has not been customary for Leonard
to do much loose talking before q fight,
but this time he is telling the world
that Tender is made to order for him.
Usually fighters statements mean moth
ing at all. But under the circumstances
surrounding this bout Leonard's declara-
tion sounds like a promise. and one
which he will have to make good.
Lew the Logical Contender.
There is little doubt that Tender is
the most logical" of the logical con-
tenders. In the opinion Of some pretty
good judges Tender was more or less
under wraps when he fought Dundee in
Madison Square Garden. He gave the
little Italian severe beating around
the body, but he seemed to be refraining
purposely from knocking him out.
One thing was noticeable in that
bout-Tendler could be hit on the chin.
Dundee hit him there time and again.
but Dundee Is not noted for his punch
ing ability. II Leonard had been there
sending those solid rights and lefts to
Tenders chin there is no doubt that
Tender would have been dropped.
Leonard certainly has knockout
punch, as Joe Mandot, Freddie Welsh
and numerous other lightweights can
testify But Benny is inclined to save
the punch. Being a shrewd business
men he knows that II he stops-a fighter
there is no demand for return match
and when there are no return matches
there are no visits to the bank.
For instance Leonard has boxed
twelve bouts with Johnny Dundee. II
he had happened to drop Dundee for tho
count In any one of them the business
engagements would have been termi-
mated abruptly. Leonard and Dundee
have drawn some fairly big houses.
Tender Is body fighter essentially
and a bit inclined to hit low. conse-
uuently Referee Johnny Ertle will have
his work cut out for him. II Leonard
should drop from body punch those in
the champions corner will be quick to
raise the cry Of foul. Barrett's seconds
raised that cry when Tender dropped
him. and Dan McKettrick raised the
same squawk when Tender dropped
Hymic Gold.
Certainly the punch that dropped
Gold was fair enough. 1t looked very
much as though Hymie, after taking
some OF the blows that Tender sent to
his body. was quite willing to refrain
from boxins> any more that particular
evening.
Tried to Fool Gibson.
In boxing with Dundee Tender seemed
TO be quite bit more mercifully In
clined While he hammered away at
the Italians body with a monotonous
regularity he did not put the steam be-
hind the blows that he put when he
went into te ring with Gold. Evidently
he wanted to make sure of finishing
Gold. With Dundee. although he held
his lead from start to finish, he did not
seem to be at allsanxious for knock
out.
Billie Gibson. who watched the Dundee
bout carefully. seemed to think that
Tender was taking things easy. rio
made the rather cryptic remark. "I
wonder IL that bird thought that he was
roofing me-" From which It may be in
ferred that William was OF the opinion
that Tender was not doing his best.
Sendler, ought to be doing his best to-
morrow night. The lightweight title has
brought Leonard million. 1t looks like
something worth going after.
American Tennis Team Wins.
MANCHESTER. England Jutx, or IT..