The Benny Leonard Story

By Sam Gregory: The heavyweight division has always been considered the flagship of professional boxing. Names like Ali, Foreman, Louis, Dempsey and Frazier have always been synonymous with heavy hitting. Through the 20’s and 30’s and even into the 1980’s the heavyweight division was home to the most exciting bouts ever fought. Heavyweights were always the main event and fight fans usually didn’t bother to take their sets at a match until the big guys stepped through the ropes.

Today you would be hard-pressed to find even the most studious of fight fans who could name 3 of the top ten heavyweight contenders. Most of the talent in boxing today is far south of the heavyweight ranks. This month the major networks carrying boxing in the U.S. are showcasing the lightweights and for good reason. Since the Marque of Queensberry rules were instated the 135 pound division has always been a thrilling change from the heavyweight division. Action-packed and skilled was the way the lightweights were described then and now. One of the greatest lightweights to ever lace-up a pair of gloves was Benny Leonard.

The Benny Leonard Story
For more than a century the lightweight division in boxing has been home to some of the most exciting fighters in the sport. From the late 1800’s to the present time, names like Roberto Duran, Joe Gans, Henry Armstrong and Pernell Whitaker have been at the top of boxing experts pound for pound list. What stands out about these great fighters is their ability to be able to brawl with the most devastating punchers along with the ability to box in a technical fight. They can throw a great combination while bobbing and weaving to avoid being hit with a punch. They’re exceptionally fast on their feet and expert at the art of feinting.

There was one man who was flawless at combining all these attributes; he was the most exciting and dynamic of all the 135 pound men…his name is Benny Leonard. Born Benjamin Leiner on April 18th, 1896 in New York City, he became known as “The Ghetto Wizard”. Like many young men born in New York that turned to boxing he learned his craft in his early years on the streets; in Leonard’s case it was the tough streets of the Lower East Side.

Turning pro in 1911 at the young age of 15, Leonard lost three of his first 13 fights by knockout. Learning from his mistakes and being a fast learner, by the time he was 18 Benny was already climbing his way up the lightweight ranks, it was more than 200 fights and 20 years before he was stopped again. He possessed lightning speed, scientific boxing skills, and could punch with the best sluggers of his time. In his career Leonard fought over 210 fights, he lost only four by knockout; once on a foul, and once after he made an ill-advised comeback long past his prime and twice early in his career when he was learning the wisdom of the ring. During the eight years Leonard held the lightweight title, 1917-1925, he outclassed the best the division had to offer.

Benny Leonard possessed many great assets as a professional prize fighter, probably none greater than his ability to bounce back after a brutal knockdown and regain control of the fight. Three times Leonard narrowly escaped being KOed. The first was a title defense against Charley White on July 5th, 1920 in Benton Harbor, Michigan. In the fight Leonard was hit with a devastating left hook that sent him over the ropes and out of the ring. Leonard was dazed when he pulled himself back into the ring, but his crafty ring generalship staved off the imminent disaster. Quick to regain his composure, Leonard turned the tide on White and ended the fight with a ninth round knockout in his favor to retain the lightweight title.

Six months later Richie Mitchell came close to stopping Leonard in a fight at Madison Square Garden on January 24th, 1921. Mitchell dropped Leonard in the opening round of the fight, leaving Benny groggy and unsteady, barely able to make it to the closing bell of the round. With his unique ability to recover quickly from a tough round within seconds of opening bell of the new round Leonard came out throwing a barrage of punches, putting Mitchell on the canvas three times in the round. Confirming his dominance in the ring, Leonard retained his title with a 6th round knockout of Mitchell.

The third time was when Lew Tender came close to scoring a knockout against Leonard on July 27th, 1922 in a fight that ended in a no-decision in Jersey City. A month later Tender and Leonard fought again; this time for Leonard’s title in New York City. Leonard won a clear cut 15 round decision to retain the lightweight title.

On June 26th, 1922, Leonard challenged Jack Britton for the welterweight title. Britton was the undisputed welterweight champion having won the title from Ted “kid” Lewis in 1919.
In the third round of the fight Britton dropped to one knee following what appeared to be a body shot from Leonard. Britton was protesting to referee Patsy Haley that he’d been hit with a low-blow by Leonard and was on his knee for the eight count. Than, in an unusual set of circumstances Leonard hit Britton while he was down. Leonard was disqualified adding one of the five permanent L’s to his record.

Whether or not Leonard was just testing the waters at the welterweight division or he was just bored with his weight class has never really been clear. It is clear at that particular time in history the public eye was focused on the lightweight division where some of the most exciting fighters of the era were. Along with being exciting, the lightweight division was ushering in the biggest gates in history outside of the heavyweight ranks. World famous promoter Tex Rickard put together lightweight fights that saw record breaking gates in excess of $200,000; unheard of for that time in history outside the heavyweight division.

It was not unusual for lightweight fighters such as Jimmy McLarnin, Barney Ross, Beau Jack, Ike Williams and Benny Leonard to be guaranteed purses of $50,000 along with $2000 signing bonuses and $500 expense money. At that time in history the lightweight fighters were looked at as the supermen of the ring. During that era it was the lightweights, not the heavyweights that were drawing record breaking crowds.

Among all the great lightweights, Benny Leonard stood apart as the greatest of all time. Benny Leonard was also considered the greatest single name in Jewish sports history. Jewish pride and the accomplishments of Leonard ran parallel with the reputation of Leonard the sports star.

Benny Leonard passed away in 1947, it was the way he would have chosen to die, in the ring. While refereeing a minor bout in dusty, smoky St. Nicholas Arena in New York, Benny collapsed. A few minutes later he was dead. At the age of 51, of a hemorrhage of the brain. Leonard had often said, “I’ll be in boxing until I breathe my last breath.”