The Washington times., 1922-06-29

would have been on him.
Leonard was a 8 to favorite. 1t
was an ideal spot Of the Britton
men to shove in their change. Yet
very little Britton money appeared.
Brittop was winning the fight on
points up to the finish, and was
90 Ear ahead that barring a knock
out, Leonard had scant chance of
showing in front.
= incidentally, Britton was win.
ming, as many. including the writer.
figured he ought to win. by out
generating the lightweight cham
pion.
Round after round the veteran
scored ahead of the younger man
until the eleventh, when Benny
seemed to have the welter king
In real trouble. However, Jack
came back apparently fresh and
strong in the twelfth, and renewed
his lead.
In the thirteenth Britton went
UOWu ITOHl u puIlCu W thO osoh-
ach. 1t did not appear to be q
hard punch. While he was on
one knee waiting for Referee Ha-
ley to count, Leonard plunked
him In the face with another
left. 1t was q mere slap.
Leonard's claim is that Britton
was legally on the floor, and there
lern IN nnnCh. BennX
must have been far more excited
than he appeared on the surface
to assume such a thing. 1t was
quite apparent to most Of the spec
tators that Britton was kneeling,
taking advantage of his preroga-
tive to rest there while the referee
was counting.
Charley Leonard, Benny's broth.
er, bounced into the ring, thus pro-
viding grounds for the disqualin-
cation Of the lightweight champion
even had Benny not swatted the
kneelins Britton.
Some point to this fact as a sus-
picious circumstance, but 1t ap-
pears that Charles is not always as
cool and collected as a second 10
expected to be. 1t is said that
when Leonard was fighting Char
lev White in Benton Harbor the
champs brother popped into the
ring at an inopportune moment.
that a sharp clsimer in Whit
corner could have won the cham
pionship for Charles with a brisk
claim.
II is hardly reasonable to assume
that Charley Leonard would de-
liberately jeopardize his brothers
<itls II In more reasonable to con-
crude that Charley is just natu'
rally an excitable young mar
Rritton claims the blow that
knocked him over was still BODY
nunch. which yanked the wind
out Of him. Some thought when
he first went down that he was
irving to claim a foul, but Jack
says IL was a fair punch, that he
knew Il was fair. and that he was
merely taking time to recover.
Even Haley. the referee, seemed
20 think Britton was claiming
foul. It struck many OF the spec.
tators that Britton was most
leisurely in going down, and 1t also
struck many of them that Leonard
had ample time to think before
stepping forward and smacklng
Rritton that final smack.
But, as we say. no angle appears
that would seem to justify the
charge of fake, unless they wanted
to take no chances on the decision
going to Leonard. Perhaps they
were afraid the judges might go
blind at the last minute, and fail to
see Britton coming down the stretch
in front.
Leonard had nothing to lose save
a little prestige. and he lost plenty,
of that In the earlier rounds when
old Boy Britton speared him with
left almost at will, stood ready to
trade right hands with him at any
time, and broke down the stoutest
punches Of the lightweight cham
pion.
Some argue that. on the other
hand, Leonard had little to gain be-
cause the welterweight title would
be OF small value to him at this
time.
To this we reply that there lay
beyond Leonard the chance of es.
tablishing himself in fistic his
tory with Cans and LavinGe as
one Of the greatest lightweights Of
all time, and we are inclined to
credit Leonard with enough pride
in his calling to desire that stand
Ing.
To be sure, 1t Is possible that some
Of that same sort of pride" that
figured in the Gans.Britt fake may
have entered into the matter Mon.
day night.
Britt, anS all of 8ritt's friends,
Secls pretty certain that the Cali
fornian had no chance to lick "the
Old Master" but the Britton pride
demanded that Cans be on the floor.
AS Joe had no compunctions of con-
science as to his position AS lorg
as he was to win, that was the un-
EASY As BOILING OFF