The Washington herald., 1922-07-05
BY HUGH FULLERTON


Benny Leonard restored himself to
standing as lightweight champion
of the world today. when before
$4,000 persons packed into Floyd
Fitzsimmons' arena he crashed the
hopes of Rocky Kansas to the title
in the eighth round.
Leonard. winning from start to
finish, perfect master of the situa-
tion at every stage of the battle,
clipped Kansas on the jaw in the
first Minute of the dramatic eighth
round. Kansas. who had withstood
a shower of lefts and evaded
dozen rights that were meant to
end the conflict. shook for a fash
of an eyelash and in that fraction
of an instant Leonard's right
smashed to his jaw. The sturdy
little Buffalo boy retreated sullenly.
desperately reeling with his back
to the ropes. his face to his relent-
less foe.
ClOuts Kansas Heavily.
Again and again Leonard drove
his right. then his left to head and
face. Kansas reeled. tottered. stag
gering around. His arms were
helpless to swing. but he kept his
jaw down and covered and reeIed
across one side of the ring. driven
blow by blow by the champion. 1t
seemed impossible that he could
keep his feet. but he swayed and
lodged. Four times Leonard meas
urcd him for the finishing blow and
crashed his right. but each time II
missed the vital point. Kansas was
bent half double. staggering, blind
and helpless, but as Leonard was
waiting and measuring him for the
final blow a dripping sponge flashed
into the ring.
Referee Dave Miller tore the
fighters apart and lifted Leonard's
arm urconsciously as a sigma to
the crowd, and Kansas seconds
swarmed into the ring.
An instant later there was a furry
in that corner. Kansas. beaten and
helpless. with the bones of one
hand broken, was fighting his own
friends who. in their effort to save
him from being massacred. had
stopped the fight.
Leonard In Great Form.
Kansas was beater from start to
hnish and Leonard. who was out to
redeem the showing he made
against Britton and to dispose finally
of Kansas claims to the lightweight
title was near the best of his
form. He fought a perfect fight.
fight which he figured before
starting. He had determined to
put ar. end to the claims of Kansas
for supremacy. If ever one fighter
haf he
other. Leonard did today He
started with the customary feeling
out and jabbing with his left. In
the eighth round he beat Kansas to
practically every change Of punches.
He was master of the situation at
every point. but the stubborn. tough,
little Buffalo boy. who was making
his fourth effort to grab the title.
kept his jaw so well covered that
Leonard could not land the decisive
punch. From the third round on
he had Kansas practically at hi.
mercy, but never once could he hit
him where IL would yield the de-
sired result.
He tried ir the fifth to finish 1t up,
but slip through the ropes de-
layed matters and Kansas. tough
and wiry as ever. came back and
showed that he had dangerous
punch which coInman nded the respect
OF the Bronx beauty Again in the
sixth Leonard seemed to have him
where he wanted him. but could rot
hit the vital spot.
Benny Starts In Eighth,
The finish started before the first
minute of the eighth round wa.
Fought. A short left hand swing
caught Kansas on the jaw ara
started him. Leonard hesitated an
instant and came through with his
right. which caught Kansas hard
but a bit high. After that II was
slaughter with Leonard following
up and driving his covered up victim
haIf way round. the ropes. striving
hard to land a Knockout. Kansas
was out, but still on his feet Leon
ard was posed panther-like for the
finishing blow. whcr. the stconn.
threw the sponge into the ring
Their explanation is sufficient. Thew
say II was to save him from beins
murdered.
The crowd was one of the most
spectacular and the most orderly
ever assembled at airy boxing match.
More than 1000 of the $4,000 spec
tators were women and the color
scheme of the big arena was beau
tiful.
The promoters had the Judgment
to select none of the easy bleeders
for the preliminary matches, SO that
the effect was that of perfect
pink tea. with the stincer in the
Finishing punches concealed.
The official record of the attend