Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-05-16
LEONARD S|DETRACKS
LOGICAL OPPONENT
Tender Would Meet Champion
Any Time, Any Place
or Anywhere.
nv Bernie Dane.

Tho 1000 round preliminary verbal
wrnngle between Phil Glassman and
Bill Gibson, managers OF Tender and
Leonard respectively. came to a sud
den climax recently. when Phil stop
ped beating the bush" and self-con-
stituted Tender the lightweight cham
pion Of the world. And that was not
nil. for up pops Bob Maxwell. sports
editor OF thu Philadelphia Public Led
ger and partly substantiates Pills
claim by unearthing n similar precc-
dent which was established by Britt
history a. the Britt Cans affair"
Britt, at tho time OF this incident
was a strong contender for the light
weight laurels. He challenged Cans
Cor title bout but tho latter refused TO
box because he couldn't make the
legitimate weight. Whereupon Britt
claimed the lightweight championship
OF America. and what was more, his
claim was recognized by the sporting
fraternity an the boxing records will
testify.
All OF which means that Lew has
taken a great responsibility upon HIM
self and since his case with Leonard
Ia somewhat similar TO the Britt
Cans affair" Just cited. no probably
would put his claim across did no not
have tho inevitable boxing commits
sions to contend with. Any boxer can
ask for something but these days he
must earn that something leGitimately
II no intends TO receive such rccoeni-
ton from tho Boxing Commissions
and sporting fans.
However. Phil and Lew can do no
harm With their assertion and they
may ultimately arouse public opinion
to the degree where It will demand n
meeting between these NIT. artists.
| sometime ago Leonard Issued a
statement through the public press IN
which he stated that he was prepared
to meet all contenders for the light
weight belt In this den he took par
ticular care to enumerate such OPP
ponent as Dundee. White, jackson and
Mitchell. Thus 1t Is evident that he
wilfully neglected to give Tender. the
only person OF his class who could
give him halfway decent battle, as
much as . tumble,
In my estimation nothing could be
more ridiculous than the suggested
list of combatants Leonard would meet
He picks out . number OF fighters
which, with ono or two exceptions, he
has either knocked out or beaten to q
FRAGILE and no asks the public to come
and pay their honest money 70 see
him trim them over again. On the
other hand, Tender has beaten the
same crew, the only difference between
Lewis and Benny's nghtins being tina
Lew usually whips his man in = mor'
decisive fashion
Tho c0ptention has been advanced
, that Benny ana Billy arc stnl sore
, about thst 5000 bucks which Phil for
f,ited on them last year when tho KIM
of champs defaulted to keep a boxinl
contract to meet Tender. or cours
, there arc always two sides to ever,
. story and whether Phil acted sports
manly or not is still a speculativ
question, but not even Leonard or Glib
son or a hundred others like them ca
afford 10 run away from GlassInan'
announcement that anytime Leonar
steps into tho squared arena wit
Tender his 5000 claimed as FORTE
will be returned" That may SCUM
n little like debating to a champion
but the proposition for its fairness an
Igood intention cannot be doubted.
S Leonard should not let a lit
i thing like prejudice compromise h
Il character and sportsmanship. rattle
it should encourage him to eliminai
s. from the championship ranks a fightt
II whom he regards as 'pretentious III
y start"
Again II careful comparison
Bennys and Lewis boxing records al
made. it will very soon become M
: ticeable that the lightweight cham
is hasn't such a big margin over u
!, Quaker City mitman as many belle,
- and It will also become noticeable thu
p each day that Leonard delays to me
the Philadelphia southpaw, just thu
much longer is he sidetracking h
only LOGICAL OPPONENT.
Tender will meet Leonard at I;
ringside, at 2 p. m, ANY TIME. AN
PLACE, ANY WHERE, and Will owe
, let Benny dictate his own percentas
= OF the purse.
In the meantime tho sporting wor,
= is In a great furore about Lew
n lightweight claim, while many far
are holding tight to their chairs ar
!. wondering II he will get away with
4