The New York herald., 1922-06-27
LEONARD LOSES TO
BRITTON ON A FOUL
Crowd Amazed as Lightweight
Strikes Veteran While He
Is on launches.
LOOKS LIKE FAKE FIGHT
Resembles Gans-Britt Fixed
Authorization Ahead
on Points.
LOOKS LIKE FAKE FIGHT
By w. o. McGEEHAN.

The finish Of the Britton- Leonard
bout at the Velodrome last night was
the weirdest since the Gans-Britt fake
in San Francisco some fifteen years
ago. Officially Benny Leonard, the
lightweight champion, lost to Jack
Britton. the welterweight champion,
on foul. In that round the welter-
weight champion sank to his launches
as though struck low.
AS he lifted himself to one knee
Referee Patsey Haley, counting after
the timekeeper. Leonard rushed from
behind Haley and struck the kneeling
veteran viciously. At the same time
one of Leonard's brothers. apparently
to make certain that Leonard would
lose on a foul, crawled into the ring.
Haley pushed the lightweight cham
pion aside and declared Britton winner
on foul.
Spectators Are BewiIdered.
The 24,ooo spectators wers-hss
wildcred by the strangeness of 1t and
there was a movement toward the
ring and some angry muttering. They
felt that they had been tricked, but
they did not know how. Certainly
the thing did look bad. Benny
Leonard is a business man and II was
asking too much to believe that
Benny, unhurt and with the welter-
weight championship within his grasp
would run amuck. Nor would a vet
eran manager like Billy Gibson sit
quiet when one of the men in the
corner crawled into the ring to dis
qualify one of his fighters.
To me 1t looked like very crude
plagiarism OF the Cans Britt fake. That
was staged by more subtle ring Belas-
cos than are arranging acts for the
ring in these days 1t was known that
Britt had no chance TO win on the
level with Cans and Britt would not
meet the negro until some way could
be found for him to lose the bout and
retain his prestige.
They decided that Britt was TO make
great showing against Cans. but was
To lose the decision on foul. The thing
was carried out as planned by the stage
managers. At the proper time Cans sank
TO his knee Stimulating great distress
While he was in this position Britt
rushed at him and struck him. 1t
was explained that Britt had lost his
head, otherwise he would have won the
fight.
Up to the thirteenth round the bout
last night was very fast boxing match
Brittoa was winning on points in as po-
lite go as ever was staged In "A gym
nasium. In the eleventh Leonard seemed
really to try, and Il looked as though he
were setting himself TO take the title
away from the veteran welterweight
The thirteenth was drawing to n
close with Leonard taking things quiet-
ly again and apparently losing on
points Suddenly Britton crumpled up
and sank to his launches He had
been struck in the body and he held
his hands over his stomach. Patsey
Haley, thinking he was claiming a foul,
shook his head and started TO count
with the timekeeper.
Affair Well staged.
Leonard suddenly edged around from
behind the referee. and standing over
the welterweight struck down at Brit
ten. Haley pushed Leonard back and
Britton walked over to his corner The
referee shouted his decision to Joe
Humphries. The crowd edged down
toward the ring. snarling.