LEONARD TO RETIRE.

Taihape Daily Times, 11 September 1919, Page 7

LEONARD TO RETIRE.

E THIS LIGHT-WEIGHT CHAMPION. iFORTUNE{ FROM TYRE BUSINESS. Benny Leonard, light-weight champion of the World, intends to retire Ermn the ring and give up his t.itle—possi.bly within the next eight or ten months. The lightweight champion has also cancelled his proposed tour of the World, for which he was to have received 255,000 dollars «at Manila,‘ -or 3. total of 129,000 dollars . If Leonard follows out his plan, and is‘not defeated in the meantime, he will I be the second light—weight champion of the world to retire from the game under McAulifl’e, who returned from France just recently, where he did such! splendid work in an athletic and boxing way for the soldier boys. There: was doubt. about Jack being a world’s champion, as his international battle i with Jeni Carney, the British champion in 1887, resultedin a draw after 74 rounds of fighting; but McAuliifc was really" American champion. Leonard has a right. to the title of world's champion, as Fred Walsh held that title when Benny defeated him. Leonard ’s desire to quit the ring does not come from lack of interest in the game, but because he Wants to estab-

lish himself in business while the opportunity is at hand. Leonard is worth well over 200,000 dollars, and the bulk of the money has been made the past year and a-half-——not from his ring battles, but from the atitoniobile tyre businerzs. Benny has been interested in a tyre lconlp“an_\,.<., and ztlials made a pile of “dough” estimated at close to 150,000 dollars. He has a chance to branch out in the business, and that is why he is anxioizs to quit the ring as a boxer and a eh:lmpion_ “It will doubtless come as a sun prise to many,” said Benny, “but I 'have thought the m:ltter‘oVer,' and consider it the proper"éhing to do. I love boxing, and I am. certainly thankful, and recognise the fact that it was the boxing game that made it possible for me to gctmy start and fortune. I will retire as a'professional boxer, but will always keep‘ up my interest in the game and will always box for my own pleasure, as I consider it one of the finest exercises known‘. ,

“Every young man should learn to box, whether as a.‘sport of. priofession. It was a wonderful help to all our army and navy boys, as every ofiic-er will tell you. As to the title, I cannot say much. but must. admit that Johnny Dundee and Ritchie Mitchell are two of the real contenders. Charlie VVhite seems to have lost a chance by being ollt:—pointe(l by Eddie Fitzsimmons, but there must have been something wrong with Whife, for he is a good boy, and I always considered him one» of the best.

~l.conal'd has had a. rather spectacular ca.réer. He started. out as a, preliminary boxer at Billy Gibson’s old Fairmont Club in New York in 1912, and made such a hit with his consistent. -work that Gibson finally took hold «of him and had the satisfaction of making a world’s champion out of the boy. It was the first time that. a light-Weight clmmpionship was won in a lien-round no-decision contest. This happened in New York, May '2B, 1917, When Benny met Freddy VVclsh, then champion, stopping: him in the ninth -round.