The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-01-01
VICTORY FOR THE KID
WILL PUT HIM IN LINE
FOR CRACK AT WILSON
Benny Leonsrds Bout With Pinkey Mitchell Monday at
Milwaukee, Holds Attention of Fistc Followers All
Over the Country and There Are Lots of Other Good
Affairs Carded for New Years Week.
BY EDWARD w. cocHRANE.

lower In the Dniteu states ana many |
OF those in Great Britain. will be
centered this week in the opening !
OF Benny Leonard's campaign to |
praye to the doubling ones that he |
can make the legitimate lightweight |
limit of 135 pounds and successfully |
defend the title against every man
who claims to be a legitimate con-
tender for that crown.
Leonard's maiden effort In his
campaign to prove this contention,
will be 10-round battle with
.Pinkey Mitchell, the elongated light |
Sfyeight of Milwaukee,, In Mitchelrs
sGome city Monday. From there the
champion goes to New Orleans,
where he will meet Joe yelling for
fifteen rounds January lo.
The battle with Mitchell is at
catchweights, due chiefly to the fact
that the Milwaukee boy is big
lightweight and would as soon box
Leonard at catchweights as to re-
quire the champion TO make the
lightweight limit. which figure
might also weaken the chances of
Mitchell for victory, While the
championship will not change hands
should Mitchell win, because 1t is
not at the lightweight notch, II will
prove that Leonard has gone back
and is not the great fighter he was
Wnen ne TOOK tne litlc from fTeuuy
Welsh and later successfully de-
Tended IL against q score of high
class fighters.
Reason for Doubts.
IL has been the contention of
many critics that Leonard cannot
scale at 1876 and be at his best. To
prove this they point to the fact
,1hat he has called off matches with
Sailor Friedman and Lew Tender
and in bouts that he has had he has
not been required to make the limit.
He has not fought when he has
agreed TO make 1856. Leonards
showing recently has been of the
calber to cause many to believe he
cannot defend the title at 1876
against such a fighter as Lew Tend
Ter. They believe he should move
up to the welterweight division and
leave the one which he now heads
10 men who can make the weight.
Leonard intends to prove by the
Mitchell fight an dthe one with
yelling that his critics are mistaken.
Leonard is a great champion.
There is no denying this fact. Mitch
ell Is splendid fighter. He has
met Benny before and made a very
Creditable showing. He believes that
It is possible to knock Leonard out
and, although this bout will not be
at the lightweight figure, he is go
ing 10 Try nara 10 score the cream
punch.
Real Test for Palmer.
This contest Is the outstanding
feature OF the weeks program,
because IL Is the only one I'm
which champion Is competing.
But there are other important
ones. In Tulsa Wednesday night
jeff Smith, known TO the boxing
game as the Bayone THUNDER
bolt" will meet Kid Palmer for
IS rounds. Palmer has been win
ming all his matches in Tulsa and
is u great favoritc there, but In
Smith iie will bo pittcd against
one of the greatest fighters the
middlewcight division has known
since the days of Stanley ketchcll
and Billy Papkc. If he makes
this hurdle, Palmer will be ready
for championship fight with
Wilson.
Smith is the only man who ever
knocked out the late Les Darcy
OF Australia. He has rougnt
every middleweight in the game
with success. He recently Iloored
Mike Gibbons in "a 10-round ses-
sion in the east and he has offered
TO fight Johnny Wilson for nothing
In order to get crack at the
title. IL should be the best fistic
entertainment given TO the fan
hucS OF Tulsa In several years.
IA Tender Should Win.
~ Lew Tender. who Is the most
worthy contender for the lightweight
championship held by Leonard, and
who should be given the next de-
cision fight with the champion. will
meet Barney Adair OF New York tor
eight rounds tomorrow in Philadel-
phia. Adair Is fairly good light
weight, clever and q good puncher,
IN hn n 70
OF the Quaker City product has been
greatly overestimated. Willie Jack
son, also one of the small army of
lightweight championship contend
ers, will box Sailor Joe Kelley,
champion of the navy on the same
bill.
Joe Lynch, ex-champion bantam,
Is slated to box n newcomer in the
ranks by the name OF Al Walker In
New York. Lynch is trying to beat
back up to the title, but his work
or late has been a bit off color and
\ ne Is going TO have to whip a halt
dozen fighters like Walker de-
clsively II he hopes to meet Johnny
Burr or his successor.
Harry Greb, who is to box Johnny
wilson In New York February for
me middleweight championship OF
the world, Will meet Chuck Virgins
In Cincinnati Monday. Virgins Is q
uieVer fellow but lacks punch
rms bout will be at catchweign II
because Virgins is the heavier of ti.t
TWO and Greb does not have to make
any stipulated poundage for him.
Wills Must Win Easily.
marry Wills, negro heavyweight
VINO Is being touteu by lot of box.
ing experts as the man to fight
dempsey, for the heavyw eight title
Nill box Bill Tate, another big negro
IN Portland this week. Wills re-
Gently boxed Tate and did not VIII
very deeisively. This caused a 10
OF writer's to state that Wits woulC
nave 10 show more II he hopes u
get crack at the crown. There
y tore. 1t IL likely Wills will put forth
~ MS best efforts on this occasion L
t,nish Tate in big time, He realize
that eyes of the experts will be 70
cused on his work in this contest
quick knockout will boost hi
stock.
WOman Enfa Wall ln0 RanOpt