Imperial Valley press., 1923-07-23
SET FOR REAL
CHAMP MPI0NSHIP
SCRAP T0NIGH 7
Leonard Still Rules
2 to | Favorite Over
Challenger
By HENRY L. FARRELL
Hy Press STAFF CorreSp .ndrnt

NEW YORK. july 23.-After
six years Of rather trifliug ease.
Benny Leonard, the good looking
lightweight cEampio1. viii have to
90 to work in The Yankee stadium
tonight when he meets Lew Tend
Ter, the less handsome challenger
from Philadelphia FoI IN, first
time since he 1.-The chmpiou.
ship, the experts reckon thaJ Leo
nard viii not ONLY nave to work.
hut will be forced to do gcrioHs
mammal labor if nr i to lcaya the
st"d.um with The crown Oh liz
t,crc.
Dnring the six years of h. rcigr
the champion was mostly engaged
in preventing any opponent from
,au>>,ng the pat'rt leather sLepl al
lis locks. Twic, hc has been driv-
en- TO the point Of anger when he
was forced to Knock out impEdent
opponents whD took liberties w.Jh
him.
Charley White knocked him thru
the ropes once in NJ, higan City
and SO stung the pride of the little
holder that he Knocked White ont
for getting too fresh. Once again
Richie Mitchell socked Benny flat
on his back and the champion flat
toned him right back for good.
Leonard and Tender met once be
fore but the meeting in jersey did
not assume the labcrious aspects that
surround the secOnd battle tonight
The first bout vas no-decision
thing and the champion s work Of
the night consisted only of being on
his feet when the bout ended. He
was in an erect position at the end
of l2 rounds and he won the popu
lar decision by great finish after
Tender aroused a fury in him by
almost knocking him out with /;
right hand to the stomach.
Expect Huge Crowd
Jimmy Johnston, promoter of the
fight, expects crowd of 10000
in the stadium and he figures on
counting about 100000 from the
gate. Advance sales have gone be
yond $3jO,00O and many seats still
are available for the last minute
rush.
Largely because there has been
so little Tender money on the
market the odds favor Leonard at
> to ! with very little betting.
Most of the money being offer
ed is on knoctouts and the round.
Despite the fight that Tender
put up against Benny last summer
most Of the experts believe that
the challenger viii carry the hand
leap that al Leonard opponents
have faced in their second meeting
with the champion. Leonard took
Tender none too seriously before
their first meeting AMI his mistake
almost cost him the title. He also
had difficulty solving the left hand
stvle Of the Philadelphia ncwsboy.
Leonard figures that the first
meeting taught him all he needs TO
know about beating n Southpaw,
and that he will he in a position TO
step ont tonight from the first
gong. lie will have 10 DO some step
p.ng with decision at the end of
the bout aul realization with it
that the referees and judges in New
Yorl; haven't any too much con
sidrIation for q champion.
In Ring at - O'Clock
The gates to the stadium will be
opened at ) O'Clock, the program
viii start At s, and the principals
for the main boat viii have to be
iu the ring not later than 10 0 clock
In accordance with the rules.
Leonard and Tender will weigh
in this afternoon and they have for
fcits up 10 make the weight tn
title will De ~ stake provided Tend
Ter IS not over l3j pounds.
Tie preliminaries consist of
Mike Cancro and Jimmy Stewart,
four rounds; Tony Lyons and Jim
my sullivan, six rounds; Jabe Her
man and joey Fox, eight rounds;
Jack Scvic and Johnny Darcy, ten
rounds.
Following the custom Of the com
mission the officials in charge of
the program will not be made public
q - r.--.. .I.,. q. l-a chair ,,ia.ag