The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-01

and that's Mike O'Dowd."
 While the champion part of it might not be applied exactly to our case, that is just the way I always felt about Benny Leonard. From fthe first time I started watching him and after the first of our three meet ings, l knew that Benny was one opponent that I could always take. Not that ] did not consider him a great champion. because l do think he is, but for the reason that l had studied his style so carefully and had 1t solved so completely that l knew I could keep him away.
 At one time, earlier in my career, felt sure I could knock him out him in a decision bout but I never did think that l would ever win from him on deliberate fouL.
 Leonard a Clean Fighter.
 Leonard had always been regard ed by the fairs as one of the coolest generals in the ring. I had seen him several times badly flustered, however He had always been re- garded as clean fighter and l would not say now that he is otherwise.
 Because he had such fine char acter and because he was regarded as being of the highest type in the ring, when foul was called on him in the thirteenth round of our con test in the New York Velodrome last June. giving me the victory, some talk went around that.
 The fight was fixed, or
 It was not a foul, or
 Leonard wanted to run out that way.
 Everyone is entitled to his own opinion and l guess l can have mine. admitting that 1t is purely an opin- ion.
 think that Benny lost his head.
 As for it being foul, I know that 1t was.
 o O O
 Won Two Ways.
 It has been a pet crack of mine that won two ways from Leonard that--on points, as far as 1t went, and on foul. l don't believe there is any question that l had him out pointed in twelve rounds.
 If the bout had been staged three nights before I'm sure l would have stopped Leonard. I never felt better in my career and I know I will never be in the same perfect con dition again.
 As said in a previous chapter, 1 had been suffering with insomnia for more than year. When l was not training l used to remain up until near midnight and sleep unti, late in the morning. After my first bout with Mickey Walker though began to get nerves. When started to train and had to retire early, l couldn't sleep until after -midnigh. and then l didn't get any rest. tried all kinds of remedies but none of them worked.
 Changes Training Methods.
 Working indoors around badly ventilated gymnasiums, l knew hadn't helped me any. so when l started to train for the Leonard fight I decided to do my work out side and l went to Saratoga. The change of scenery, climate and sur roundings acted just like tonic and began to get pleasure out of my work. In fact I got to feeling so gccd that I did too much work and became fine too quickly. Three days before the fight l had become pointed and by the time l went into the ring I was bit stale. l do not mean that l felt badly but l didn't have as much pep and fire as I had been feeling.
 Technical description of the actual fight is impossible. I remember only the sixth, eigth, eleventh and thir- teenth rounds. The rest were almost the routine of going into him. keep ing him close to the ropes nav watching about stepping back from him.
 1 have always found that no op ronent is very dangerous If you can keep a left hand sticking in his face, get in and out and prevent him from getting set for punch. They are Fundamentals of boxing. How Leonard Boxes.
 Leonard's favorite offense Is to get in close, block with his hands after the fashion of Jack Johnson. push you back and clip you on the jaw with short right hand as you step back. If you keep coming into him strong and keep on top of him he can't do it.
 Another thing-Leonard doesn't like to let his back near t ropes.