The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-04-09


Without causing a tremendous stir
he announced himself as the worlds
welterweight champion, and after he
had become seated firmly In his new
throne room, Jimmy Johnston. who
was then handling Madison Square
Garden along with other things, an
nounced that Richie was no such
thing and that mis- boy, Ted Kid
Lewis, was the champion.
Johnston arranged a ten-round no.
decision bout in Madison Square
Garden and Lewis beat Richie so
far that the title was unofficially
but effectively transferred to Lewis.
Some tiSfe later, through the news
papers, learned that 1 had dis
puted the legitimacy of Ted's claim,
and that Dan Morgan had challenged
Lewis.
Johnston merely laughed and
wouldn't listen to any kind of a
proposition. Morgan told me there
was no chance to get the Kid into
the ring unless we slipped some
thing over on Johnston, and that he
proceeded to do.
Lewis Persuaded 70 Fight.
Morgan went to Jimmy and gave
him line like this;
Your fellow is young and strong
and he can go over distance. Brit
ton is good in a short bout. Lewis
has fought him before and knows it.
Let's go down to New Orleans, go
twenty rounds and advertise 1t as a
bout to settle a. doubtful claim to
the title. Lewis can knock ont the
old fellow and we can get good
price"
When trained hard I always
bleached out and locke pale. giving
- eli n
Johnston fell for the line that l
couldn't beat Lewis over twenty
rounds and he sign./ for the bout.
one of the papers after the fight
said that Lewis didn't win round
and / know that he didn't win many.
Lewis was always good against slug
gers, but he couldn't figure out
left hand jab. / would go out one
round and box him. the next time l
would slug him, I'd slow him up
then and the next round switch and
speed all over him. He didn't know
where he was.
1t was big surprise to everyone.
at him several times as he sat in the
corner and he was open mouthed and
gaping.
In the meantime Richie had re-
tired from the ring and there were
very. few good drawing cards or
forced to fight Lewis and cam
raiCn around in the middleweight
division.
Lewis A Steady Customer.
Lewis and 1 fought twenty-five
times, and only the loss of my title
and the sudden slump that hit the
Kid prevented a twenty-third meet
ing In London this year.
In the first chapter l said that my
work had never been questioned, and
I think / can use my fights with
Lewis as a substantiation. Every
ore OF our fights was on the level.
He tried each time out and so did
l. The public must have had con-
fiGence in us, because our twenty
first fight in Jersey City drew $780,
900 in a small arena and the twenty
second bout in Madison Square Gar
den drew 100000.
Ordinarily I do not become aroused
over criticism in the press, but 1t al
ways made me mad when we were
called-"Lewis and Britton. Dancing
Masters'-and other nsinuations
ttat we had a vaudeville act.
AS long as Lewis was the only
class I had to defend my title
against him I had become convinced
that Lewis never could beat me. be-
cause he knew | could keep away
from his punches and that / could
outpoint him boxing.
o O o
Why BrittOn seldom SluExed.
Most of my victories at this period
in my career were won on decisions,
which gives rise to a belief, often
expressed. that l was a fine boxer
but l never could hit. That never
flattered me, because it made me
feel like a baseball player who
would be regarded as a fine fielder
hut a bush Lacquer with the bat
| maintain that could hit. and
think any of the opponents l hi
Will admit it also.
My record isn't filled with knock
outs because l didn't always try tt
win that way 1t was mp experience
that missing swings intended as
knockout blows was firing as be
ing hit by your opponent. When q
boxer puts everything he has in two
or three punches in a round am
misses he not only opens himsel
dangerously but he will go back tc
| the corner wanting breath.
Danger Of Brittle Hands.
There is also the danger of broker
| hands, and once a boxers hands e.
back on him he might as we'll quit
Lew Tender is a good example o
| What happens when the fists ge
! brittle. A boxer may be able to g.