1917-06-14 Ted (Kid) Lewis ND10 Jack Britton [St. Nicholas Arena, New York, NY, USA]

1917-06-15 New York Tribune (New York, NY) (page 13)

Lewis Outpoints Britton in Fast Ten-Round Bout

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Ted Kid Lewis, of England, won the twelfth of the series of bouts with Jack Britton, the welterweight champion of the world, at the St. Nicholas Rink last night.

Lewis had the better of six rounds; two, the fifth and sixth, were clearly Britton's, and the first and seventh could be called even without injuring either man's reputation.

In spite of the many rehearsals between this pair, the bout last night was sensationally fast, particularly the fourth and eighth rounds, when Lewis had Britton jarred from one-two punches to the jaw. Jack fought back fiercely, and the crowd roared approval as the men battled chest to chest in midring.

Lewis did his best work at long range, nailing Britton with stiff straight lefts to the face. Several times, too, Ted caught Jack on the side of the jaw with wicked right chops that spun the champion right around on his feet.


1917-06-15 The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, NY) (page 10)

BRITTON BEAT LEWIS

Ted (Kid) Lewis fought a great battle against Jack Britton of Chicago in the St. Nicholas Rink last night, but Teddy weakened toward the end and Britton was entitled to the decision. In the first three rounds of battling Lewis was the aggressor, but the Englishman's punches were missing, and the ones that did not miss were blocked by the holder of the welterweight title. When the men came into the ring Joe Humphries announced that Britton had weighed in at 146½, while Lewis had tipped the beam at 144¼ pounds.

It was evident from the start that the fight was to be fast. Both men plunged in, and though Lewis looked to be battling hard, Britton's cleverness offset the Englishman's rushes. But at that Ted managed to land enough blows to get a lead in the first four rounds. From then on there was a different aspect to the battle. Britton began to fight. The manner in which he punched Lewis' body caused Jimmy Johnson's champion to weaken. The craftiness of Britton was very evident.

From the fifth to the end of the ninth rounds it was Britton's fight. He managed to block or get away from the punches aimed at him, and at the infighting game he was the master. In the last round Lewis made a rally, but it was not enough to give him the verdict. Except for a badly puffed nose on the part of Lewis, both fighters were unmarked at the last.


1917-06-15 The Evening Telegram (New York, NY) (page 10)

Lewis Beats Jack Britton in Ten Rounds

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With four rounds to his credit in his ten round bout Thursday night at St. Nicholas Rink against Jack Britton, the world's champion welterweight, Ted (Kid) Lewis earned the verdict inasmuch as his opponent garnered but three of the sessions while in a like number they broke even. The winner tallied the first, second, third and tenth, while the Chicago boxer scored in the fifth, sixth and ninth.

Britton was probably the more effective when he got home, but the peppery Lewis was a particularly busy proposition in a majority of the sessions. He proved an adept at holding immediately following his frequent landing of leads and swings, many of which, however, landed around his man's neck.

The champion fought in his usual nonchalant, "don't give a rap whether I'm outpointed or not" style and appeared "under wraps" most of the time. At other times he was most effective with his right hook to the body, which was apparently not relished by the Englishman. Britton's jabs at times had plenty of steam behind them, but there was not that continuation of effort seen which is felt to be in his makeup, but which is so seldom seen in his battles.

There was no period when either was in any serious difficulty. The men have met so frequently that in all likelihood each knows every move of the other. There were some well staged mix-ups which had the partisans of each on edge yelling for each to deal out a finishing punch, but that appears to be as far off as when they first engaged in battle, which was some dozen bouts or so back. With honors even coming into the concluding session there was a deal of ineffective mixing which looked fierce enough with the only result that in this instance Lewis was the one to come off with whatever honor is involved in getting the verdict.


1917-06-15 The Evening World (New York, NY) (page 16)

R. Edgren's COLUMN
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Britton and Lewis Box Fast Draw at St. Nicholas Rink.

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Copyright, 1917, by The Press Publishing Co.

(The New York Evening World.)

Jack Britton, now generally recognized as the welterweight champion of the world and Ted Lewis, who claims the European title, are at liberty to play the rest of their circuit. Their twelfth bout, or their one hundred and fifty-sixth round of boxing, was fought last night at the St. Nicholas Rink and at the finish the question of supremacy was as much in the air as ever. It was a good, fast draw.

Lewis didn't put over his promised knockout, but it wasn't because he didn't try. Countless times during the evening he swung his right with all his might, and if he didn't entirely miss landing he only managed to graze Jack's head, the clever local boxer always "riding away" with the punches.

The men fought at top speed all the way, and it is not hard to understand why they put up such even battles, as they know one another's styles so well and both are so adept at the manly art that they anticipate one another's moves and of course sidestep or block as the blows come their way.

Lewis started off as though he was confident of stopping Britton in short order. He was in the best of shape and put every ounce of steam he possesses back of his wallops, but as we said before, Jack was not on hand to receive the goods when or where they were delivered.

Towards the end of the bout Lewis slowed up considerably. This was not only because he saw it was practically useless to hit Britton "on the button," but because Britton greatly weakened him with a continuous bombardment in his mid-section.

It was odd to see these two clever ring performers pursuing different modes of warfare. Lewis usually was doing his best to drop one on Jack's chin that would spell curtains. Britton seldom tried to reach the head, but confined his hitting to Ted's body. One practically offset the other, with Britton once or twice landing the most effective blows, left hooks to the stomach that made Lewis double up and so temporarily paralyzing his muscles that his arms hung limp at his sides.

Britton's ability to just step back and cause Lewis's blows to fall to land by a fraction of an inch was a treat to watch. He was as cool as a cucumber throughout while Lewis displayed great eagerness to score a knockout and his face showed disappointment when he found he couldn't perform this feat.

When the bout was over and they were dressed for the street nobody would have guessed that they had just emerged from a slashing ten-round battle. If they had just quit playing checkers they couldn't have been less scathed.

"I would like to get Britton in another twenty-round match," said Lewis, after the bout. "It is pretty hard to stop him in ten, but now I think I have so much more stamina than he that I would surely wear him down over the distance."

Britton weighed 146 1-2 pounds and Lewis 144 1-4.


1917-06-15 The New York Herald (New York, NY) (page S5)

Lewis Outpoints Britton in Bout

Ted Lewis proved his superiority over Jack Britton, welterweight boxing champion, in their thirteenth bout in the roped arena, fought at the St. Nicholas Rink last night. The one-time English title holder earned his victory by outpointing Britton in seven of ten rounds.

Chopping right hand blows dealt from the elbow in a way employed by Kid McCoy, coupled with an aggressiveness not too frequently displayed by his opponent, contributed heavily to Lewis' success. Britton seemed to box at times under a restraining influence. Although Britton's most effective blows were those which he delivered to the body with such force in the fifth and sixth rounds as to cause his opponent to double up, he tried for the head in many others.

Britton's right hand blows directed at the jaw were not given the freedom of action one had a right to look for from a man whose purpose was the accomplishment of a knockout. But it was a bout that seemed to please all who attended. The eighth round in particular was a slashing affair, the men fighting toe to toe during the greater part of the three minutes.


1917-06-15 The New York Times (New York, NY) (page 10)

BRITTON AND LEWIS HAVE CLOSE BATTLE
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Chicago Welterweight Divides the Honors of Bout with Englishman.

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Jack Britton of Chicago, recognized world's welterweight champion, and Ted Kid Lewis, the English boxer, meeting in the ring last night for the twelfth time, furnished a fair-sized crowd of enthusiasts at the St. Nicholas A. C. with an interesting ten-round draw. The willing aggressiveness of the English boxer and heavy blows to the head which he landed with telling force on Britton in many of the rounds, earned him an even break in the honors for the bout. Britton, while his style was not as spectacular or interesting, nevertheless managed to land the cleaner blows in the latter rounds of the bout.

In fact after the first few rounds Britton settled down to his task, and taking the lead away from Lewis, forced him with a punishing attack to the stomach. The Chicagoan, incidentally, directed his efforts almost solely to Lewis's stomach, and the effects of this hammering was plainly noticeable as the contest progressed, and Lewis slowed perceptibly. Lewis earned the second, third, and fourth rounds; Britton got the fifth, sixth, and ninth, and the remainder were even.

In the early stages of the bout Britton was unsteady and wild and landed few effective blows. Lewis, carrying the fighting, aimed blows for the jaw, but the majority went wide or were taken easily by Britton, who "rode" with them. Quite a few blows were landed in the second, third and fourth rounds by Lewis, however, which shook up the title holder and made him wary, but Lewis, while his dashing style attracted the eye of the spectator, was unable to get past Britton's close guard with a clean, really damaging blow.

Lewis was evidently somewhat tired from his efforts in the first four rounds and in the fifth Britton took the lead. The Chicagoan found his rival a comparatively easy target for heavy blows to the stomach, and Britton sent these home with both hands, making little or no attempt to reach Lewis's face except with an occasional left hand jab; in the sixth session the title holder followed the same style of boxing. His cleverness and more effective hitting, coupled with his coolness in the face of Lewis's spasmodic rallies, earned him his share of the honors. Britton weighed 146½ pounds and Lewis 144¼ pounds.


1917-06-15 The Standard Union (Brooklyn, NY) (page 12)
Jack Britton and Ted Kid Lewis battled ten rounds to a draw last night at St. Nicholas Rink.


1917-06-15 The Sun (New York, NY) (page 13)

BRITTON AND LEWIS DRAW IN RINK BOUT
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Welter Champion Held to Even Terms by Englishman in Their 12th Meeting.

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By GEORGE B. UNDERWOOD.

The only way to decide the supremacy between Jack Britton, the American welterweight champion, and Kid Lewis, his English rival, is in a bout of twenty-five rounds or more. That much was shown in their ten round tilt in the St. Nicholas S. C. last night. It was the twelfth meeting of the two and as usual the bout ended with the honors in doubt. The only decision Referee Kid McPartland could have rendered, had he been empowered to do so would have been "a draw."

Lewis started out as if he intended to annihilate Britton. Ted shaded Jack in the first round and put it all over the champion in the second and third. Getting inside with rapid fire lefts and rights to the body, in the fourth Britton gained an even break in that round.

Keeping inside with his body bombardment and occasionally using a left hook to the head and crossing a right to the jaw, Britton took the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth rounds. The ninth, like the fourth was even, and by a whirlwind finish in the tenth Lewis took that round and gained an even break. Britton had four rounds, Lewis four and two were even.

Heretofore, Lewis did most of his execution with his left hook. He is a master with that blow. During the early rounds last night Ted used his right to good advantage. Britton, by beating the Kid to that punch by getting inside with drives to the body, turned the tide in the fourth.

Britton's body bombardment took the steam out of Lewis, brought him off his toes and slowed him up considerably. While he was up on his toes in the first three rounds Lewis landed at will with clean lefts and rights. The punches to heart and wind slowed him up, however, and between the fourth and the last rounds Britton had little difficulty in getting inside with snappy lefts and rights.

Once in the second round and twice in the third Lewis rocked Britton with right hand punches to the point of the jaw. Early in the fourth Lewis, employing a left shift, crashed home flush to the jaw for the most damaging blow of the bout. It shook the champion from head to heel. Britton's head cleared quickly, however, and he uncorked a fierce rally. He backed Ted about the ring and landed smashing lefts and rights to heart and wind.

As the bout progressed Britton frequently bluffed Lewis off with his right. All Jack at times had to do to keep Ted on the defensive was to poise that right hand.

The weights were announced as Britton, 146½ pounds; Lewis, 144¼ pounds.

1917-06-06 Ted (Kid) Lewis ND10 Jack Britton [Coliseum, St. Louis, MO, USA]

1917-06-07 St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, MO) (page 22)

Ted Lewis, as We Get It, Earned the Welter-Wait Championship, Last Night
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COLISEUM CROWD WAITS 2 HOURS TO SEE TAME SETTO
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Only Knockout Landed Was by Ted Lewis, Who Floored Old General Interest.
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GUARANTEES TOO HEAVY
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Receipts of $1947 Insufficient to Cover Sums Promised to Britton and Foe.

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By John E. Wray.

Boxing may exist in the State of Missouri, but St. Louisans are more ready to declare it is in a state of coma. A long series of blows, culminating last night at the Coliseum in a good-night soak right in the middle of the public's patience sent $1947 worth of paid admissions home with a "never-again-for-mine" glare in their soul-windows.

The facts are these: Jack Britton, billed as the "welterweight champion," and Ted Lewis, his partner in 10 previous ring encounters, were to have fought 12 rounds, starting somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 o'clock last night. At 12:03 this morning they began a 10-round exhibition which never for a moment aroused even a thrill of nervousness in the minds of Judge and Mrs. Granville Hogan who were among those present at or near the ringside.

For two hours the house whistled, stamped and cat-called in vain. Ted Lewis insisted on having his financial guarantee, which was not in the house. Tommy Sullivan, president and fall guy of the Future City A. C., with true promoting instinct, had tried to chop the guarantee to save himself. In the vernacular, Tommy was on the "nut" about $2500 and the sum was not in sight anywhere.

Britton Easily Satisfied.

Britton took $800 of his $1000 guarantee gracefully and accepted a check. Gershon Mendeloff, who gets his money under the name Ted Lewis, lived up to his racial tradition by demanding the cash, and got most of it.

Britton was in the ring ready to box at 11:20 o'clock, but it was 11:47 before Lewis succeeded in wresting the last buck from Promoter Sullivan, after which he strolled into the ring, to the accompaniment of cat-calls, boos and jeers.

At midnight approximately, announcer Frank Witt stilled the maddening throng with uplifted hand.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "I wish to announce that the card for next Tuesday night, --" here a roar like the bursting of Johnstown dam overwhelmed Witt's voice, a roar of laughter and derision which seemed to insinuate that next Tuesday's receipts will not be enough to fill a microbe's fob pocket.

Following on the many disappointments experienced in Coliseum bouts of late, old General Interest and his army of boxing fans are now executing a strategic retreat to the Pine street front, where Brooklyn T. Sullivan will entrench behind the color line.

Lewis Shakes Up Britton.

The fight itself? No ring horrors shocked or thrilled the many women present. It was a very lady-like show.

It may be said that while Ted Lewis did not clinch the welterweight title last night, he clinched the welterweight champion hard and often. After each lead, which he generally landed, Lewis obtained a firm clutch on Britton and clung tenaciously to prevent body damage, awaiting a chance to break free without getting stung.

But for this tendency to clinch it might be said that Lewis outclassed Britton in the boxing done, winning practically every round but one, and landing some fairly hard blows to body and head. He seemed to entertain an entirely needless fear that Britton would cut loose and hurt him; but Britton was innocuous. If that was his championship best, then he is as far away from the title as Bat Nelson--almost.

Britton, in brief, was lethargic, not in the best of shape and harmless. There were no knockdowns, although Britton went to the floor from losing his balance once.

The bout would have been accounted a fair exhibition had fans been in a good humor--which they were not. Their temper was not helped by the fact that just after the semi-windup they had kicked in to a "pass-the-hat" proposition to the tune of many dollars, for "Jimmy Dunn" of New York, who, under the plea that he needed money for an operation on his eyes, was allowed to make a sotto voce speech and collect.

Kid Bandy frightened Red Cole out of all the boxing he knew and won a mile in the semi-windup.

Why So Wild, Happy?

Happy Howard who ought to know more boxing than Young Welsh, missed everything he started after, in the preliminary, except his end of the purse. Young Welsh won the bout, which did not seem to erase the smile from Howard's face.

That "next bout" will take place at the Future City A. C. No more Coliseum stuff for Tommy Sullivan, he says. The place is a hoodoo. Vic Moran, who signed the registration lists in St. Louis June 5, will battle Young Denny of New Orleans, according to the announcement Frank Witt tried, but was not allowed to make.

Lewis is matched to meet Mike O'Dowd next Thursday. Lewis is in splendid shape and had the inducements been right there is little doubt that Britton would have been hard pressed to save his crown. Lewis will be heard from on the title end of the welterweight honors ere many months.


1917-06-07 The St. Louis Star (St. Louis, MO) (page 15)

Britton and Lewis Vex Boxing Fanatics

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Welterweights Keep Crowd Waiting While They Wrangle Over Guarantee, Then Go On and Stage Exhibition That Fails to Thrill.

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Jack Britton and Ted Lewis boxed at the Coliseum last night, as advertised, but their battle failed to thrill. Instead of fighting twelve rounds they went but ten. It was a bad bout. Everything pointed to a red-letter event in the annals of the local ring, but Old Man Gloom butted in and spoiled the show. The weather was ideal, the night cool, the show was given columns of publicity, a big convention was in town, the card brought together two great boxers, and they were to go a distance of twelve rounds. The advance dope was better than the realization. It was a bout that was not worthy of being dignified by a decision.

Placing the Blame.

The onus of guilt for the fiasco must be borne by the promoters. Their contracted obligations to public and fighters were not carried out. A twelve-round exhibition was advertised and only ten supplied. The fighters did not receive the amount promised. Some fans paid $2 to see the bouts; others went through the side door for 50 cents.

The bout should never have been scheduled. It was a love feast instead of a battle. Britton and Lewis had met ten times before being matched here. Practically the same burlesque followed as the one staged between Dillon and Brown, which brought a blight on boxing here.

Less than 1,500 fans turned out. The gate receipts were so far below the guarantee given the fighters that they refused to enter the ring until nearly midnight, despite the fact that the semi-windup was over at 10 o'clock. The Dear Old Public was compelled to forfeit about 3,000 hours of precious sleep while the battlers and their handlers were quibbling with Promoter Sullivan and his advisers over the payment of the guarantee.

"Cash or No Bout."

Lewis was to receive $1,000 and transportation, while Britton's guarantee was $200 lower. There was less than $1,500 cash in the tills when Tommy Sullivan counted the receipts, although the tickets taken in at the door indicated a $2,000 house. The club hadn't received the cash for tickets disposed of through outside agencies, but the boxers refused to take part payment and wait for the rest. These fellows were "Pay-as-you-enter-the-ring" pugilists. "Cash or not bout" was the ultimatum. Finally Sullivan compromised by giving them what money he had on hand and checks for the balance.

At 11 o'clock, Announcer Witt informed the weary spectators that the bout would start in a few minutes. Twenty minutes later Jack Britton entered the ring. Then ensued another delay. Lewis did not appear until 11:45. It was 12 o'clock midnight before the engagement got under way. Owing to the late start the match was cut down to ten rounds.

Lewis took the aggressive at the start of the bout and played on Britton's face with a left jab. Britton came back with a couple of hooks at close range, and the Englishman immediately resorted to the dancing game. Britton had to bore in to put over an effective punch. Lewis usually caught him in a clinch at this style. The Englishman did his best to put up a running fight, but Britton's ring generalship prevented the Britisher from slipping away after a lead.

Tame Boxing Exhibition.

Lewis displayed his greatest skill at ducking blows while waiting for Britton to run into a clinch. Britton registered most of his points on jabs and short uppercuts to the body during the periods of infighting. Lewis also relied on his left for jabbing purposes, but seemed to prefer the right for hooks and straight punches.

The Londoner also used a one-two punch effectively. After going through nine rounds of decidedly tame boxing, the boxers rallied for a whirlwind finish.

Lewis showed an inclination to box Britton at his own style in this round and Britton responded to the invitation by driving his "Meal Ticket" before him with body punches and hooks to the jaw.

About a minute before the round ended, Lewis surprised with a terrific right swing which seemed to daze Britton for a moment, and as Lewis rushed in to follow up this advantage, the American fell into a defensive pose, which he maintained until the end.

Bandy and Cole in Great Bout.

The semi-windup between Kid Bandy and Red Cole was easily the best feature of the evening. Bandy won the bout on points. The "South Side Slasher" waded into Cole from the start. Cole seemed to be unable to fathom his opponent's style until along about the sixth, when he rallied and put up a whirlwind finish, which came too late to overcome Bandy's tremendous lead.

Young Welsh defeated Happy Howard in the curtain-raiser.

1917-03-26 Ted (Kid) Lewis ND12 Jack Britton [Queen City Athletic Club, Heuck’s Theater, Cincinnati, OH, USA]

1917-03-27 Dayton Daily News (Dayton, OH) (page 16)

That New Orleans Verdict Britton Got Over Lewis Still Unsolved Mystery

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BY JERRY.

Quite a number of local boxing fans, who have seen both Ted Lewis and Jack Britton in action, went down to Cincinnati, Monday night to see for themselves just how the champion manages to get decisions over the Englishman. Lewis is the big favorite with the Dayton boxing fraternity while Britton has never been a scream here and the folks in these parts simply couldn't understand how Britton got that verdict in 20 rounds at New Orleans and was awarded the title. And now they are more puzzled than ever for in the Monday night encounter they saw Lewis give Britton one of the neatest trimmings handed out in a ten round go in a long while and win the popular decision by a mile. If one did not know the boxers he would never have dreamed Britton was the champion, as the latter showed little nor nothing but that old familiar left jab and the knack of keeping his jaw away from those rights and lefts which he knows Lewis possesses. Fighting just the same way he did when he battled Young Neil and Eddie Moha in this city,
Lewis went out and made the fight and he was the first boxer seen in these parts to make Britton try something besides stand off and jab. Realizing the decision was going against him Britton tried everything in the closing rounds, but barring the eighth he was able to accomplish little. At the end of the mill Lewis had four rounds, Britton two, and four were even with Lewis having the hair in all of them. Britton won the eighth by a mile and had a shade in the ninth, but the third, fifth and sixth were easy for Lewis and in the tenth he outclassed Britton, hammering the champion around the ring and apparently having the latter very tired at the finish. While Britton seemed to be the favorite with the Cincinnati folks during the bout practically all of them admitted the fight belonged to Lewis at the finish.

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LEWIS, REAL MARVEL.

The more one sees of Ted Lewis the better one likes his work. The Englishman is a real wonder for his weight, and he is the one lad with a reputation who is willing to fight all the time he is in the ring. After watching him it is easy to figure why he is so popular with the fans, and as Frankie Mantell, witnessed the bout, said, "That kid surely likes to fight." After the men had been weighed and examined in the afternoon, Lewis was asked what he was going to do with Britton, and he said: "I was never in better shape and Jack Britton might just as well take that left hand and throw it out of the window for all the good it is going to do him tonight. He hasn't got a chance to beat me and you people will admit tonight that I am not boasting just to hear myself talk." Well, the conversation did sound a little bit like that usual stuff before the mill, but the scrap put up by Ted in the evening showed he knew whereof he spoke. He not only defeated Britton, but he was the one responsible for giving the fans of Cincinnati one of the best bouts they have ever witnessed. It was not the usual contest between two clever men, but at times took on the aspect of a real slugging match, with Lewis doing practically all of the heavy work. Ted's foot work was brilliant and he never slowed up save in the eighth and ninth, when he seemed to be suffering from a low blow delivered by Britton at the start of the eighth. In the ninth Lewis was content to rest and clinch to get back his steam, and he surely recovered it, for his finish in the tenth was of the whirlwind order. It was a tired Britton who walked to his corner at the end of the bout.

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TED TALKS OF MOHA.

Asked what he thought of his bout with Eddie Moha in this city next Monday evening, Lewis was very frank, "I ought to trim him again, but whether I knock him out or not is a different manner. Eddie is not nearly as clever at avoiding punishment as Britton and for that reason I ought to be able to hit him a good deal oftener, but at the same time he is as tough as they make them and he has to get a good wallop to go down. Then there is another thing to be considered and that is Eddie can hit a good crack with either mitt and when you are battling a boy of this kind you can never be too careful. He was a much harder nut to crack the last time than I expected and the result will likely depend on whether or not he has improved. Just the same I expect to win, but I would be foolish to say I look for a cinch with the lad, who sent me to the floor the last time we fought. I don't go into any of these matches looking for a cinch. I always try to fight my best and if the other fellow is willing to do the same, there is bound to be plenty of action for the fans." All of which was said in anything but a boasting manner by a lad who talks just as sensibly out of the ring as he performs in it.

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After the bout Danny Morgan, manager of Britton, said he thought the mill was a good draw. Could any better proof be offered as to Lewis' victory?


1917-03-27 Dayton Evening Herald (Dayton, OH) (page 14)

Lewis' Punch and Craftiness Too Much for Jack Britton

By TOM POWERS.

Judging from the way Ted Lewis took the measure of Jack Britton at Cincinnati Monday night, local fans will see some real slugging when the youthful Englishman stacks up against Eddie Moha at the Dayton Gymnastic club next Monday night. Fans who journeyed down to see the Queen city mill were treated to a real surprise in that the two welters, who are supposed to be the last thing in ring cleverness, stood toe to toe and slugged away for ten rounds. The second surprise of the evening was the way Jimmy Johnston's lad handled the clever Britton, winning eight of the ten rounds.

Six times before have the two met and each time Ted has given the champ an awful run for the honors. Two of the previous mills were won by Lewis and two went to Britton, while the rest were no-decision affairs. And while the Monday evening mill will go down in the no verdict column, Lewis was the real winner.

Lewis' great left hand played all sorts of tricks with Britton during the course of the evening and critics were astonished at the inability of Morgan's fighter to cope with it. The crafty Britton tried all of his tricks but they were of no avail and Ted continued to pile up his lead until he had the bout cinched. From the outset of the fight it was evident that there was no love lost between the men as Lewis opened the session with a left twister to Britton's jaw which nearly upset the champ. From then on it was a continuation of wallops and only in the eighth did Morgan's man have a shade. In that period Jack slammed the Kid on the jaw and he went down, but was up before the count started and right at work again.

At all times was Lewis able to break through Britton's defense, while on the other hand the champ, on most occasions, was unable to get by the guard set by the English lad. Again Lewis showed that the title of fighter-boxer was rightfully placed by his tremendous wallops.

Barring any kind of accidents Lewis should be in tip-top shape for his mill here next week, and can be counted on to give Moha the battle of his life. A lot of fans figure that he will put the Cream city kid down for the count in the early rounds, but Moha is a tough bird and likely to spring a surprise. Last year when the two met it was one of the first important bouts Eddie had participated in and he was naturally nervous. But with a year of hard work behind him he should do much better and the probabilities are that Lewis will be kept quite busy.


1917-03-27 The Cincinnati Enquirer (Cincinnati, OH) (page 6)

CHAMPION

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Shaded By Teddy Lewis.

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English Boxer Leads in Eight of Ten Rounds in Bout With Jack Britton.

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RESULTS OF QUEEN CITY A. C. BOXING BOUTS.

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Results of Queen City A. C. boxing bouts:

Ted Lewis won popular decision over Jack Britton in 10 rounds.

Chuck Wiggens outpointed Dummy Jordan in a six-round contest.

Al Thompson won the popular decision over Slats Gutzweiller in a six-round bout.

Young Bobby Dobbs outpointed Battling Munroe in a six-round go.

Frank Bowinkle shaded Young Camile in six rounds.

Frank Mills referee.

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There were two surprises last evening at the Queen City Athletic Club's show. First, the contest between Champion Jack Britton and Ted Lewis proved to be a real slugging match instead of a scientific bout. The second surprise was the manner in which Lewis handled the old war horse. In the first eight rounds Lewis had the shade in every round and had no trouble in landing on the elusive Britton, who seemed to be without his old-time defense. In only two rounds did Britton overshadow his crafty opponent--the eighth and ninth. The tenth round saw Lewis back on his stride and hitting Britton from all angles. The crowd cheered wildly as the gladiators left the ring, as they felt that the contest was as good as anything ever pulled off in the fistic line in this section of the country. Britton weighed 145 pounds and Lewis 144 pounds at 3 o'clock.

From the very start it was evident that there was no love lost between the two men. Lewis started off by planting his right on Britton's jaw for a twister. Back came Jack, determined not to let Lewis repeat the trick, but to the surprise of all Ted waded in and piled rights and lefts on Jack's face and body without a second's let-up.

"Wait till Jack gets started," shouted some one in Britton's corner. And the crowd waited. But there was no evidence of Britton getting started till the contest was nearly over. Lewis was at him like a tiger and performed wonderful stunts with his great left hand. Britton tried all his tricks, but they were of no avail. Lewis continued to pile up his lead, and there was no change in the situation until the eighth round, when Britton came out of his corner with a rush and soaked Ted right square on the jaw. The blow almost upset Lewis, but he managed to stay on his feet. Jack tore in again and sent home some very effective left handers. The blows had their effect, and Ted was very glad when the round was over. Britton kept up his good work in the ninth round and earned the shade beyond a question of doubt, but in the final round Lewis took on new life and made a whirlwind finish.

The sports could not account for Britton's inability to cope with Lewis. In all their previous fights Jack proved the stronger and more aggressive fighter, but last night Lewis did all the forcing and most of the clean punching. His work was a revelation to old-time ring fans, many of whom said that they had never seen his equal. Britton put forth his very best licks, but had no excuse. He was up against it for fair, and there was no question as to the winner.

Britton went into the ring a big favorite, and the sports went broke on him. He has always been highly regarded in his chosen profession in the Queen City, but the wise ones have to admit that Lewis is a comer, and it will be a long time before a man can be found capable of knocking him out.

Besides the main event there were four six-round bouts. The preliminaries were fast and exciting. Frankie Bowinkle, the Dayton Kid, scored his first victory as a professional when he defeated Young Camiel in six rounds. This was some battle, and the result was uncertain until the last round, when Bowinkle came like a race horse and won hands down.

Two colored fighters, Bobby Dobbs II, and Battling Monroe, furnished as interesting six-round go as one would care to see. Dobbs knows a whole lot about boxing and fought like a champion. He won the decision, but Brother Munroe was there forty ways from the jack and the sports thoroughly enjoyed the fun.

The contest between "Slats" Gutsweller and Al Thompson was also a slugging match. Thompson fought an improved fight over the last time he met Gutsweller and deserved the decision, but "Slats's" showing was nothing to be sneered at.

Dummy Jordan fought the poorest fight of his ring career in his meeting with Chuck Wiggens. The latter must have hit Jordan a hundred times on the jaw, but could not put him out. There was no question as to the better man.

The show was well handled by Managers Widmyer and Shevlin, but it was an expensive one and the promoters did not bank any coin. Frank Mills refereed and his work was perfect.


1917-03-27 The Cincinnati Post (Cincinnati, OH) (page 6)

LEWIS LICKS CHAMP

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Ted Lewis handed Jack Britton something Monday night and it wasn't what Britton wanted either.

For Lewis gave the welterweight champion a nice young licking in their 10-round scrap at Heuck's theater. It was the ninth fight between the two stars.

Lewis won or held Jack even in nearly every round by carrying the fight to the champion at all times and keeping Britton away from him with a left-hand that is a wonder.

Britton fought a retreating bout most of the time. He displayed rare ring generalship, but it was evident the old master is losing some of his skill.

No Knockdowns Scored

The bout was a rattling good one even tho there were no knockdowns. Both tried hard and in the eighth got real sore at each other over some low punches. Britton's corner, tho, broke even on the night. Dum Dan Morgan, Britton's manager, out-talked Jimmy Johnston, Lewis' manager, all thru the fight and claimed a decision on that point, 2698 words to 1897.

We also get it, on good authority, that Morgan outdistanced Johnston in the race to the telegraph office after the bout.

Wordy War In First

Britton's right glove became ripped in the first round and while a new one was being substituted between rounds Morgan outtalked Johnston two words to one even tho Johnston had the cleverest argument.

Johnston claimed Britton had purposely spoiled the glove to gain time, as Lewis had punished Britton a good deal in the opening session.

Morgan came back with cries of "Lucky stiff" at Lewis, claiming Lewis would have been beaten right then if the glove had held together.

Other bouts on the card went this way: Frank Bowinkle beat Young Camile, six rounds; Joe Dobbs beat Young Monroe in six rounds; Al Thompson beat Slats Guzweiler in six rounds, and Chuck Wiggins beat Dummy Jordan in six rounds.

1916-11-14 Ted (Kid) Lewis D-PTS12 Jack Britton [Armory Athletic Association, Arena, Boston, MA, USA]

1916-11-15 Boston Journal (Boston, MA) (page 8)

Britton and Lewis Box Draw at the Triple A
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REFEREE CONLEY CALLS BOUT DRAW
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The Lewis-Britton Bout Very Clever But Displeases Triple A Crowd.

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By Jack Malaney

A draw was the result of the eighth meeting of the boxing marvels, Jack Britton and Ted "Kid" Lewis, held at the Armory A. A. show at the Arena last night. Everything considered, Referee Larry Conley made no mistake in so deciding the contest. A particularly hard decision to make because of the closeness of the battling and the fact that the men are so well matched, Conlay "called" the bout in a very wise manner, taking but little credit away from either man in doing so and, if anything, giving the Britisher a shade in the decision.

The last slashing, slam-bang and very satisfactory contest which this same pair presented here a few weeks ago made last night's bout seem poor in comparison. At least, the fans didn't appear to think so much of it.

While the mill did not call for the hissing which it drew at different times, it did not call, either, for as much credit and praise as did the last or any of the three bouts in this city.

Bout Too Clever

Last night's Britton-Lewis contest was altogether too skilful, too full of extremely clever boxing. Each boxer was trained down to better trim than ever before here, with the result they both were capable of doing considerable fancy stuff, which was fine and dandy to those who follow the game closely. To the ordinary fan, it was not a great contest.

Greatly to the surprise of many, but true to the predictions of Manager Jimmy Johnston, Lewis was away below the weight he was at on his last flying visit. Evidently he had done more training for this contest than he has for about a dozen others put together. This time he was out to beat his old rival. Both the condition he was in and the manner in which he worked made that much obvious.

Probably because this fact caused Manager Johnston to protest after the decision had been rendered. Only by word of mouth did Johnston object, he is too old in the game to lose his head and assault referees. From the way he registered his objection is looked as if he would liked to have done some assaulting, though, had he been a little bigger than he is and Referee Conley a little smaller and not so athletic looking.

But Johnston's squawk was simply the squawk of a manager whose pet meal ticket had just lost a decision, the second in succession to the same boxer within a short period of time and who was afraid that if he didn't squawk, fandom would believe that he was perfectly satisfied to allow his boxer to lose.

Hurt Britton Most

The draw decision hurt Britton more than it hurt Lewis. Knowing that he could not compete with Britton in the straight boxing line, in the exchanging of lefts, made Lewis make it a swinging try-to-knock-him-out affair. By doing that he had to make the pace. Possibly he did make the pace and was willing and aggressive all the way through. But so was Britton, although in a different manner.

Britton is too clever a boxer, has been too long in the game and has developed too wonderful a left hand to allow himself to wade into an opponent with caution sent to the four winds in an attempt to make it a battle such as the fans would like to have had him give. What is more, he knows as do many others, that he doesn't need to do that to beat Lewis. His straight left has been developed for just such purposes to beat opponents with--and that's what he used last night and to pretty good effect.

Right at the very outset of the contest was is plain that a different sort of a battle was to be seen. Seldom before has Britton opened up a contest as friskily as he did last night. He stepped around and ducked and dodged, not any better than lots of other boxers do, but as he doesn't very often do. And he started jabbing in the first round, also started to make the English kid miss.

Lewis Starts Strong

Lewis lost little time in showing both Britton and the fans that he was out to give Britton a hot time of it during the night and that he was going to punch hard all the way in an effort to score a kayo.

With Britton's jabbing and with Lewis missing so many times as to offset what nice work he did do, it was not until the fourth round that the Londoner really came to the fore. In that session he landed a left hook that certainly must have shaken Britton down to his heels. Although Britton is one of those boxers who can take a stiff wallop without wincing, it was pretty plain that he didn't like that one and he covered up and backed away for a few seconds. Lewis followed him up and tried to measure him for a knockout. The Britton stab pulled its owner out of danger.

The following round was not a particularly speedy nor flashy one, and it was at this stage that the whistlers and "cats" got to work. In the sixth a quick study of Britton's face showed that he was getting warmed up and was going to get busy. Grinding his teeth together and setting his lips firmly, he certainly personified a business-like boxer with a stiff task in view.

Hard to Pick Winner

Coming into the 10th round, it would have been quite some man's job to have declared rightfully and fairly which man was ahead up to that time. That was giving Lewis all the credit that was due him and partially forgetting the misses because of the pace-making.

Through the constant use of his stab, the 10th and 11th rounds were Britton's. The 12th had to have Lewis in the reckoning. At that, Britton did in that final round what he had failed to do in all the others--hit and hit hard with his right hand. Twice before the final bell rang did he savagely hook the right, and each time did it fairly and squarely crash against Lewis' chin. A couple of times also did Lewis swing and land some pretty good wallops in that finale while the speedy and ambitious battling he did also helped.

Final Round Rally Helped

It was probably the 12th round rally that Lewis made which prompted many of the fans to object to the decision and which also helped Johnston to have something to object about.

All in all, however, the Conley decision was a good one. Many a worse one has been given in Boston. Many a worse one has been handed to Jimmy Johnston, too.

Although the crowd did not attain the tremendous proportions expected, it was a better-than-ordinary one, yet not so big as that which turned out for the last Britton-Lewis contest. It was a divided argument in passing out of the building on the award.

The preliminary bouts were extremely interesting, each being filled to the brim with action. Tony Vatlin got a rather lucky break, so it was thought, when Referee Flaherty ruled his bout with Charley Bergin of New York a draw. But Vatlin didn't get any breaks in getting Bergen for an opponent. The newcomer had several pounds on the local port-sider, who gave him a fine battle, considering.

Vatlin Has Improved

Tony showed still more improvement. Not only did he do plenty of stiff punching, but he also showed new ability to side step, duck, and make his man miss. Bergen had to laugh himself at times, so well did Tony do his work.

In a boxer against a battler bout between Jimmy Gray and Nate Seigel was another draw called. The opening six-rounder went to Kid Lee, who beat Young Cohen.

As was exclusively announced in Monday's Journal, Britton will meet Charles White, in the feature bout next week. "Assessments" will be $1, $2, $3 and $5.


1916-11-15 The Boston Daily Globe (Boston, MA) (page 9)

BRITTON-LEWIS BOUT A TAME ONE

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Some of the Fans Thought Boxers Were Not Trying

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Tony Vatlin Gets a Draw in a Hard Battle With Charley Bergin

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Jack Britton of New York and Ted Lewis of England had their fourth whirl in this city at the Armory A. A. last night, and the bout was called a draw at the end of 12 rounds.

It was the poorest exhibition the pair have ever put up in this city, and judging from the talk of the fans they will not "fall" for another between these boxers.

Britton was entitled to the award, but Referee Larry Conly, because of the way the pair worked, evidently decided not to give either one any advantage.

Both looked to be in good shape and boxed at catchweights. Britton did the forcing and did most of his hitting with the left hand, stabbing Lewis' face often.

At times Britton left good openings, some of which Lewis took advantage of. Britton used his right very little. He landed it on Lewis' jaw a few times, but too high up to even stagger the Englishman.

Lewis landed some left jabs on Britton's face, but most of them had little force. Some of his blows were delivered with the open glove, a method Lewis does not follow when he is trying.

Both complained about being hit low, but the referee saw that no harm was done and made them continue. In the closing rounds they engaged in some fast mixing, but neither one did any harm to the other.

The fans were suspicious after the bout had gone a few rounds, and they let the fact be known by their remarks.

After the decision the boxers and their managers made a pretence of being sore, both sides claiming that they had been robbed.

The semifinal between Tony Vatlin and Charley Bergin of New York was the best bout of the evening. Bergin gave Vatlin the toughest argument he has had in this city for some time. At the end of eight rounds, the contest was called a draw.

In the opening bout Kid Lee, after a hard contest of six rounds, was given the decision over Young Cohen.

In the other preliminary Nate Segal and Jim Grey boxed a six-round draw. Charlie White and Jack Britton will box in the feature bout at the club next Tuesday night.


1916-11-15 The Boston Post (Boston, MA) (page 15)

BRITTON AND LEWIS DRAW

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At the end of 12 rounds of perfectly harmless boxing at the Arena last night Referee Larry Connolly made the customary motions with his arms signifying that the main bout of the evening between Ted "Kid" Lewis of England and Jack Britton of New York was a draw.

There was little action to excite the large gathering of fans, who for the greater part of the bout witnessed Britton using his left hand in whiplike jabs. Lewis was a trifle more inclined to make a fight of it and during the latter portion of the tilt compelled his opponent to come out of his nap.

The first six rounder of the evening produced a win for George Lee of Beachmont over Young Cohen of Chelsea. In the other six-round affair Nate Segal of Revere went the distance for a draw with Jimmy Gray of Chelsea.


1916-11-15 The Lowell Sun (Lowell, MA) (page 7)

LEWIS AND BRITTON BOX 12 ROUNDS TO DRAW

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ENGLISHMAN NEVER WAS IN BETTER FORM WHILE CHAMPION IS OFF COLOR

BOSTON, Nov. 15.--Ted Kid Lewis and Jack Britton boxed 12 rounds to a draw at the Armory A. A. last night. The contest, while hardly as good as the one decided a short time ago, was a good boxing exhibition, with a lot of fighting that characterized the former meeting, when Britton won, left out.

Britton did not appear in anywhere near as good form as he did in the previous battle, while Lewis was never in better boxing form in his life. The Englishman tried for a knockout all the time and he lost several opportunities trying to land a sleep producer.

For six rounds Lewis held a lead in points over the champion and again in the final round also took a slight lead. Britton did some clever boxing in the seventh, eighth and ninth rounds, had a little the best of the 10th and the 11th, but fell off again in the final frame, when Lewis put it all over him.

Each thought he should have been given the decision and each was amazed when the referee called the contest a draw. This in itself is a good sign that the bout was close, but if the referee desired he could have drawn the line pretty fine and awarded Lewis the bout for the better boxing.

The preliminary bouts were good. Tony Vatlan and Charley Bergin of New York boxed an eight-round draw that had the fans on edge from opening to the closing round.

Jimmy Gray and Nate Segal went six rounds to a draw and Kid Lee defeated Young Cohen in a six-round bout.

1916-10-17 Ted (Kid) Lewis L-PTS12 Jack Britton [Armory Athletic Association, Arena, Boston, MA, USA]

1916-10-18 Boston Journal (Boston, MA) (page 8)

Britton Defeats Lewis in Bout at the Triple A
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TITLE REMAINS WITH BRITTON
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Chicago Boxer Wins From Ted ("Kid") Lewis in 12 Rounds at Armory A. A.

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By Jack Malaney

The greatest of them all--which is saying a whole lot--was the third Britton-Lewis contest battled at the Arena last night and which ended in Britton's favor. Champion Jack Britton it is still, as at the end of 12 fast, furious and interesting rounds in the Armory A. A. feature bout, Referee Larry Conley had little else to do but declare him the winner over his English rival for the honors of the class.

What little doubt there was that this pair would not be able to present their usual stiff argument because of many previous meetings, was cast adrift shortly after they got working in session one. Just as in their other two battles here, the warm milling started right off the reel and it didn't let down not one whit until the final bell called off hostilities. If anything, the bout was an even harder one, 12 rounds considered, than either of the preceding ones.

Neither Were Welters

Benny Osthues announced that the contest was for the welterweight championship du monde. He was stretching a point on that, however. Neither man as he entered the ring last night was a welterweight. There was no getting on the scales, so it is not possible to state what they did weigh. And Lewis with his freaky build makes it pretty difficult to estimate his weight, but he surely weighed more than 150 pounds. Britton was also near that poundage, but also about five pounds lighter than the other.

Their weight did not serve at all to retard the speed of the mill. Britton has got so that he carries a roll of fat around his waist, but it is the sort of fat that a boxer who has seen ten years of service always accumulates and cannot get rid of. But he wasn't slow nor did he ever show any signs of being in distress through the pace or blows.

Lewis Seemed Stronger

Never before was Lewis seen so big; but he seemed to be even stronger with the extra weight and not in the least affected by it.

It was a matter of class and, as always, class won out. Britton fought as fine a contest as he perhaps ever has in his whole career. He was not in a hurry, he wasn't confused by several misses at the start, he failed to let Lewis intimidate him with his speed in the first few rounds. He was the master. Apparently confident of this fact did he appear and simply bided his time.

A more determined athlete than this very same Britton has seldom ever performed before a big gathering. He was out to win for Jack Britton, so he went at his work with renewed vigor every little once in a while, as the setting of his teeth and tense expression on his face showed to the close ringsiders.

A before-the-battle incident to show the sincerity concerned was a demand made by Britton on Monday. He insisted that the ring be torn apart and repadded, that new electric lamps be put in the lighting fixtures over the ring, and so strong was his demands that they were acceded to.

Start Right Away

Very shortly after the opening bell rang the men started to tear at each other. It didn't take very long to see that both men were extremely anxious to win by a kayo. Each of them swung blows which were intended for that purpose with Lewis starting more than Jack. Being anxious and yet cold was greatly the reason why neither one succeeded in that first round.

In the first three rounds Lewis kept quite a bit ahead of his old rival. Had he been able to keep up the style he used in these rounds all during the mill Britton would have been given a fine lacing. The clever Jack changed matters mainly because he knew what was wrong.

As always, Lewis was very eager and willing to do all the leading at the start. And because he did he got as far ahead as he did. When he led he usually beat Britton to the punch. He also was afterward able to follow up his lead in a gaining manner. In the fourth Britton decided to do some leading himself, and from that point on did he begin to win.

Nearly a Foul

The bout came near to ending in the fifth on a low punch. At any time during a contest is Lewis liable to be fouled because of his jumping tactics. In this round, Britton began an attack on the body of his opponent. He was following up after a hot session near the ropes when Lewis leaped and a punch did land on the top of his protecting cup. Lewis made no objection until he heard the men in his corner protesting and then he, too, spoke up. The claim was not allowed when Lewis declared he was not hurt, and it was well that it wasn't, for he plainly showed in the next few seconds that he could not have been fouled.

Shortly before the bell announced the ending of the sixth, Lewis shook his head as if in attempting to shake away cobwebs. No punch was seen that would have dazed him, yet even when the bell did ring, he gave further evidence that he had been shaken up, for he was confused as to where he belonged. Not very long after the seventh got under way, Lewis was toppled over. A little short left hook which landed when he was off balance knocked him flat on his back. He was so surprised that he didn't realize his position for a second and then he started to get up. In fact, Britton himself didn't think that he had knocked him down, for he reached over to help him up.

Keeps on Gaining.

Britton's lead kept increasing all the time and right up to the 10th. Acting under wild and loudly shouted orders from his corner, Ted began to do some leading in that inning, and with great success. A straight left shot at Britton's face time and again, and with each bit of success Lewis got more confident and kept up his leading. Britton would not let him get the jump in the 11th, and therefore again got back into honor.

The final round was even harder and of stiffer punching perhaps than any other. Lewis knew he was behind, and his one hope was either a knockdown or knockout. A couple of times he did slam good and proper at Britton's head, but there was no stuff behind the wallop. The landing did no damage, at any rate.

Crowd Rooted Hard

Another big gathering such as was presented at each of the other two battles between this pair saw this third contest and enthused and admired throughout. Plenty of rooting all the way through kept the excitement at high pitch in every round.

To help matters out, the prelims were also full of pep. Tony Vatlin gave Johnny Emery a pasting in the eight-round semi-final partly, perhaps, because Emery injured his right hand so he claimed half way through the mill, but also because Tony was better than his opponent. But it was a tough and interesting contest and one worth repeating.

A surprise was given in the second prelim when Johnny Stanton beat his very formidable little Cambridge rival, Paddy Owens. Johnny Murray got a short win in the opener because his opponent decided that he had had enough for the night.

Another famous return match is the feature attraction for next week's show, Jack Dillon will meet Bat Levinsky.


1916-10-18 The Boston Daily Globe (Boston, MA) (page 7)

BRITTON TAKES LEWIS' MEASURE

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Earns Award in 12-Round Bout at Armory A. A.

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Englishman Floored in Seventh With Left Hook to Jaw

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Jack Britton of New York, welterweight champion, won the decision over Ted Lewis of England in their 12-round bout at the Armory A. A. last night, before the largest crowd of fans of the season.

It was one of the best bouts in this city for a long time, and the decision of referee Larry Conly was approved even by Lewis' manager. There was good hitting with both hands and clever footwork throughout.

Lewis is no longer welterweight, as he has taken on weight. Britton was also above the limit, but was in good shape. The men boxed at catchweights.

The way that Lewis started off the fans thought he was going to take Britton's measure quickly. He staggered him a couple of times with left hooks to the jaw in the opening round and jabbed the champion often.

Lewis continued to land to Britton's face in the next round, but Britton was gradually solving the Englishman's style and sent back some good counters.

Britton started forcing matters in the third round and kept after his man in the fourth, sending stiff right and left punches to the face and body. Lewis began to tire, but he landed some good jabs.

The fifth session was all Britton's, who also outscored Lewis in the sixth round.

In the seventh, it looked as if Britton was going to put Lewis away. The pair were boxing at close range when Britton sent a short left hook to Lewis' jaw and the latter went to the mat. He was up in a few seconds and blocked punches that Britton shot at him. One left to the body had considerable effect on the Englishman.

Up to the last round Britton continually pecked Lewis in the face with his left and landed many rights and lefts also on the body. Lewis also did some good jabbing and countering with both hands.

At the end of the 10th round Britton acted a bit tired, but Lewis was not much better. The champion came up for the 11th session in better shape than Lewis and did effective work.

In the 12th Lewis began sending his right to Britton's jaw. Britton managed to get in some more body blows, but the honors in the final session belonged to the Englishman.

The referee had to warn Britton a few times about hitting low. Not once after the first few rounds did Lewis look to have a chance.

The semifinal was another surprise. Tony Vatlin met Johnny Emery and the fans expected to see Emery win in quick time, but Vatlin fought a clever bout and won from the start. In the fifth round Emery's right hand was injured, which handicapped him some. Vatlin would have been the winner, however.

In the prelim between Pat Owens of Cambridge and Joe Stanton of the same city, there was another upset. Some weeks ago Owens defeated Stanton, but last night Stanton did the better boxing and was given the award at the end of six rounds.

In the other preliminary Bat Downey of Roxbury made Young Amos quit in three rounds.

Jack Dillon and Battling Levinsky will box in the feature bout at the club next Tuesday night.


1916-10-18 The Boston Herald (Boston, MA) (page 7)

BRITTON BESTS LEWIS IN 12 ROUND BOUT

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Champion Welterweight, However, Has Only Scant Margin Over the Rugged Englishman--Every Round of the Contest at the Armory A. A. Crowded with Fighting of Heaviest Kind

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Jack Britton, the world's welterweight champion boxer, successfully defended his title in a 12-round bout with Ted (Kid) Lewis of England at the Armory A. A. last night. Britton, however, squeezed out the decision by the narrowest margin. Referee Larry Conley of South Boston, officiating in his first world's titular event, awarded the champion the verdict unhesitatingly, after one of the best welterweight bouts witnessed in a local ring in many a day.

There was action in every round, both boxers displaying better form than they ever showed before in a Boston ring. In particular was it true of Britton. The latter fought like the champion that he is, and removed whatever idea existed that he was not a real title holder. Fighting as he did last night, it till take a great man to bring about Britton's downfall. It was the first fight that Lewis has had since his return from South America, and he fought a remarkable contest, considering the fact that he had not boxed in several months.

Both boxers appeared a trifle fleshy, and were easily well above the stipulated welterweight limit. However, they were in good condition, and it was well for both that they were, otherwise a knockout would have undoubtedly occurred long before the 12 rounds were over.

Only the remarkable skill and science that Britton possesses saved him from what appeared defeat in the opening round. The bitter feeling that exists between the pair was shown immediately after Billy LeClair sounded the gong that started them on their contest.

Lewis sailed after Britton like a cyclone and before the fans realized what was going on Britton was never so near to a knockout in his career. Lewis rained lefts and rights faster than the eye could follow in the initial frame, and more than half the audience expected to see the contest end momentarily. In his anxiety to score a quick and impressive defeat Lewis swung himself clear off his feet with a right hand blow labelled sure defeat, only to miss and slip down in a neutral corner.

Despite the heavy attack from Lewis, the champion was cool and collected under the rapid fire onslaught and before the round closed had found his bearings.

Lewis took a slight lead in the second round and the third by a light margin. Britton, in the three opening frames, was made the target of Lewis's left hand jabs and right cross counters. The champion shifted his attack frequently, alternating from the head to the body. Lewis made Britton's head his point of attack. Both punches with a vengeance, each putting every ounce of his weight and strength into every blow.

Lewis started out in the fourth round to add to his lead, but before the period was finished the Englishman was second best in the points. Britton apparently had his gauge and delivered several neat blows to the body and head. The blows to the body delivered by Britton were most effective since Lewis plainly displayed signs of distress at every punch the champion landed around the midsection. Several went wide of their mark and a few low enough for Referee Conley to caution Britton. In the fifth round Britton struck decidedly low and the contest was halted for a few seconds before Conley was satisfied that Lewis was able to continue.

As soon as Lewis declared his willingness to keep going the contest waged just as fast and bitter as it did in the previous rounds and continued to the finish when the pair stood toe to toe winding up one of the fastest championship contests seen in a local ring.

Britton found himself well enough in the sixth round to earn a slight lead. A less clever boxer than Ted Lewis would have been stretched on the mat from some of the well aimed blows that Britton sent.

Britton took a commanding lead in the seventh round. His body punching in this frame was the most effective of any round in the contest and Lewis was plainly tired when the round closed. It was in this period that the only clean knockdown in the battle was scored. It was only a slight one, however, as Lewis was partly tripped.

The champion held out his hand to assist Lewis to his feet, realizing that the knockdown was as much accidental as it was from the blow.

In the rounds that Britton earned, his advantage stood out cleaner than that won by Lewis. Both boxed their hardest in the eighth round with neither having much the better of the other.

Britton forged to the front in the ninth round, but the fans were treated to another spurt from Lewis in the 10th. The Englishman gave every appearance of swinging the battle back to his favor again until Britton took a good lead in the next two rounds. The champion's lead, while slight, was just enough to earn him the verdict.

The preliminary bouts were exceptionally good. Tony Vatlan defeated Johnny Emery in eight rounds. Emery was on the point of being knocked out in the fourth, but managed to struggle through the distance handicapped by a broken hand he received in the round that came near proving disastrous for him.

Joe Stanton defeated Pat Owens in one of the hardest six-round preliminary fights seen at the club.

In the opening six-round bout Battling Joe Downey defeated Young Amos in three rounds. The latter was disqualified.

The match for next week will bring together Jack Dillon and Battling Levinsky in a 12-round bout for the light heavyweight championship of the country.


1916-10-18 The Boston Post (Boston, MA) (page 12)

Britton Beats Ted Kid Lewis

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BY DOC ALMY

Jack Britton of Chicago, holder of the welter title, successfully defended his honors against Ted Kid Lewis of England last night at the Arena, defeating the challenger the greater part of the way in the 12-round session.

Fully 5000 fans witnessed the battle, which was one of the great ring contests of the year and the best for many months between welters witnessed in Boston.

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LEWIS GETS JUMP

Britton got away to a poor start in the first round, but following the frame which went to Lewis, began to fight like a real champion. From the second round to the finish the champion turned loose everything he had, making the best showing of his career in Boston. The usual loafing and playing with which Britton has frequently disgusted even his warmest admirers were laid aside for business.

Lewis for his part looked better than ever before from a physical standpoint and, except for a bad habit of missing because out of distance with left swings, fought an unusually flashy and brilliant battle. He danced, ducked, crouched and played dead, worked every trick in the trade that he might get over one mighty right and win on a clean-cut knockout.

But Britton met craft with craft, and, while scored on, frequently outguessed the Britisher and beat him to his own game. His one and greatest fault last night was a tendency to hit low with the left, and in the fifth frame one of his crashes, which landed on Lewis' protecting cup, could be heard several rows from the ringside. It nearly lost the champion the fight on a foul, for Lewis backed off, dropped his hands, and but for his willingness to continue a few moments later, would have been awarded the verdict then and there. Britton was warned several times during the bout to cease hitting low, also using his forearm.

While all the rounds were jammed from bell to bell with fast and furious battling, the seventh and last were the best. In the seventh Britton put Lewis to the matting with a clean left hook to the jaw. Though dazed, the Englishman was back on his feet on the instant and came back with a rally that set the fans howling with delight.

Lewis, after being badly worsted in the 11th round, came out desperate in the 12th, swinging, poking, hooking and smashing in a last effort to win the mill which he and his seconds realized had gone against him. It was the fiercest round of the battle, but found Britton equal to the emergency and willing to mix. He gave Lewis fully as good as the Britisher sent, driving in straight lefts and rights to the head that drove him back despite the fury of his attack.

The award of the decision to Britton by Referee Larry Conley was well received. There could be no other verdict for the Chicagoan had at least eight rounds out of the 12. It was the third bout in Boston between the pair, and Britton's first win over Lewis here.

In the prelim bouts, Tony Vatlin, Brighton, beat Johnny Emery, Somerville, in eight one-sided rounds, while Joe Stanton outpointed Pat Owens in six rounds, both of Cambridge. "Young Amos" rushed in at the last minute to fill the place of Johnny Murray against Leo Downey, and was winning his bout but didn't know it. So he stopped in the third and sought the carpet, and the award was given Downey.

1916-02-15 Ted (Kid) Lewis ND10 Jack Britton [Broadway Sporting Club, Brooklyn, NY, USA]

1916-02-16 New-York Tribune (New York, NY) (page 14)

BRITTON WINS FROM TED LEWIS IN FAST BOUT
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Jabs to the End of the Nose Are Factors in the Victory.

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Jack Britton made "slashing, dashing" Ted Kid Lewis back up last night in their bout at the Broadway Sporting Club, of Brooklyn. The English boxer was never in danger of extinction and fought a good fight, but he could not block Britton's jabs.

Jack was constantly the aggressor and landed any number of straight lefts. Not one of these blows carried any great amount of power, but so many landed on the end of Lewis's nose that by and by the blood began to flow. The fighting was fast and there was plenty of action, although Lewis showed a tendency now and again to hang on when the battling seemed to be going against him.

Britton began aggressively and jabbed Lewis continually in the first round. The Englishman fought a good defensive battle in the second round, and made Britton take several hard counters in return for his leads. Lewis had a shade the better of this round, and the third was about even. The fourth went to Lewis, and the fifth found both fighters sharing the honors, but at this point Britton began to go at a great pace, and the sixth, seventh and eighth were all his rounds. In the seventh, particularly, he had a good margin. The ninth and tenth found Lewis fighting hard to overcome the lead built up by his opponent, but Britton, who was content to play a little safer now, had no great difficulty in holding his opponent at least even.

It was a fast fight, and enjoyable for lovers of good boxing, but there was little to entertain those fans who care for slugging. Neither man was knocked down and neither was jarred to any extent. Britton was lightning fast with his jabs, yet they stung and did not kick. A big crowd saw the bout.

It is interesting to note that for once a fight manager was more or less accurate in predicting not only the result of a fight, but the manner in which the issue would be decided.

Dumb Dan Morgan wrote as long ago as Sunday, "Don't forget and be at the Broadway Tuesday night with a clear voice, so you can count one, two, three, four, five, and so on when the Irishman, Jack Britton, is punching the Englishman, Ted Kid Lewis, on the nose. Britton has bet me a suit of clothes that he will land over fifty good jabs on Ted's nose. How would you like to be an Englishman's nose Tuesday night?"

Morgan should win the suit of clothes, for Britton landed less than fifty blows, but there was no spectator present who had any severe desire to be an Englishman's nose while Britton was in the ring."

In the semi-final, Eddie Campy, of New Orleans, gave Kid Sullivan, of Brooklyn, an assorted trimming in ten sizzling rounds. "Assorted" means that Sullivan got his beating by fifty-seven varieties of punches.

Campy and his tights of Killarney green weighed in at 122½ pounds, and Sullivan half a pound more.

We want to set Campy right before the public, his public. He objects to being called "Dago," because his mother was an O'Hare, and Eddie takes after his mother, he testifies. The green tights were worn in her honor.

Sullivan is just as Irish as Leach Cross or the Yiddish Mark Twain, and a most willing little fighter. In the ten-round set-to last night he literally ate gloves all the way. There were ten courses and the feature dish each time was gloves.

After plastering Sullivan's face with a left jab that snapped like a whip on the Kid's swollen lips and puffed eyes for the first four rounds, Campy shifted his attack and worked a wicked right hand smash to the ribs.

Sullivan did his part nobly. Every time Campy let fly a glove, the Kid obligingly stepped into line and caught them all. He didn't muff one. There was not a dull moment in the whole bout, and the crowd gave the little fellows a fine greeting as they left the ring.

J. Parnell Dunn hustled the towel slingers and bottle holders out and cleared the way for the main bout, raising aloft an eloquent right hand as he waited for silence and the privilege of speaking. He then introduced Lewis, who was noisily received, but it was Britton who pulled down the most applause.

The Englishman's weight was announced as 141½ pounds and Britton displaced 143½, both in ring costume. Jimmy Johnston handled Lewis in his corner as though the "slashing, dashing, smashing, etc.," Kid was a piece of rare bric-a-brac, the while he cooed advice into Lewis's ear. Ted nodded and smiled and looked over the house with an appraising eye. Then came the more serious business of facing Britton, and Johnston sent him out to mid-ring with a farewell pat on the back.


1916-02-16 The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, NY) (page S2)

Clever Jack Britton Takes Away Kid Lewis' Seat in the Sun

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Chicago Boxer Knocks the Props From Under the Englishman's Reputation at the Broadway Sporting Club.

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Brooklyn fight fans have heard a lot about the great cleverness of Kid Lewis, the English boxer, who scored a victory over Willie Ritchie not so very long ago in Madison Square Garden. Last night, Lewis was in Brooklyn and after he stepped out of the ring of the Broadway Sporting Club his reputation was not tacked up among the champions who have their seats in the sun. Jack Britton, the Chicago fighter, was the lad who knocked the props out from under Kid Lewis. There is no questioning the fact that the Englishman was badly outpointed by the Western welterweight. It was Britton's fight from the first to the last tap of the gong.

Although Britton won all the way, you must not imagine that Kid Lewis was not in evidence. He did what he could, but what he did was not enough to warrant an even break. There were no knockdowns during the ten rounds nor were there very many minutes of slow work. It was a nice, pleasant show for a cold winter's night and the house thoroughly enjoyed the occasion.

According to the announcement, Jack Britton weighed 143 pounds stripped when he stepped into the ring. Kid Lewis, whose real name is Gershon Mendeloff, was 141½ pounds. Both boys looked fit as they were called to the center for final instructions. And they were fit, judging by their work throughout.

Jack Britton evidently had taken a tip from the Ritchie fight and refused to rush in on the man from across the seas. Instead, he played foxily with Lewis and outguessed and outgeneraled the Englishman throughout. In the first two rounds, Jack was content to simply feel out Lewis and take the rounds by a slight margin. In the third chapter, Britton cut loose and gave Lewis a dandy lacing. It was the beginning of the ending for Master Mendeloff.

The fourth and fifth chapters went to Britton. Jack's left always found its mark and did considerable damage whenever it connected. The sixth round was the best of the battle. At the bell, Britton was on top of his man and with left and rights drove him to the ropes. During the excitement Lewis claimed that he had been hit too low. The crowd did not like the kick of the Englishman and showed its disapproval in no uncertain manner. The voice of the crowd and the punching that Britton was handing out aroused Lewis, and throughout the balance of the chapter the boys slugged away like a pair of preliminary boxers.

Britton continued to forge to the front in the seventh and eighth sessions. Toward the end of the latter chapter the Englishman began to bleed at the nose and mouth. The ninth round was the same old thing. In the tenth Lewis started a rally. Britton met his every trick and the round was a splendid one. Near the end Lewis slipped to the floor and Britton helped him to his feet. Then he proceeded to win in decisive style.

In the semi-final Eddie Campi easily won from Kid Sullivan. Campi was entitled to every round. He was clever and just peppered away on Sullivan's face with left jabs, occasionally sending heavy rights to the stomach. If Campi had had any steam behind his punches he most likely would have put Sullivan away. The Kid took all that Campi could send over and was still there at the bell. Campi weighed 122½, with Sullivan scaling 123, stripped.

The opening bout was a six-rounder between Young Murphy of West Brighton, N. J., and Young Norman of Brooklyn. It was a good fast draw. At the start it looked as though Murphy might put his man away. He had the first two rounds easily, but Norman came back strong and was entitled to a draw at the finish.


1916-02-16 The Evening Telegram (New York, NY) (page 8)

BRITTON ALL BUT MASSACRES ONE "TED" KID LEWIS

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When the purveyor of pugilistic titles is in giving vein and is moved to make a justly earned gift of the welterweight laurel to the proper exponent of the art of hit and get away he will need to get no further along the line of claimants than one "Jack" Britton, of Chicago, who, if one of the cleanest cut victories probably ever earned cuts any figure, is the one to grace the niche.

Last night at the Broadway Sporting Club Britton dealt out about as tidy a beating as has ever been given in that arena of many hard fought battles to "Ted" (Kid) Lewis, the most blatantly proclaimed champion at anything from lightweight up.

Last night Britton was in shape, he scaled 143½ pounds to his opponent's 141½ and showed the benefits of not trying to rob himself of his strength, and it was a good thing that he was in good fix, as he needed all the strength of a Marathon runner in combination with his boxing ability to keep within arm's range of the Briton, who proved himself a past master at "dogging it" by backing up and occasionally parting with a misspent swing after being the recipient of countless jabs which aided in eventually closing his left eye.

Most of the time Britton was all over his man. He earned the honors in nine of the ten sessions, the second round being the only one in which Lewis got an even break.

In the sixth round and when he was "getting his" Lewis appealed to the referee, who pinheadedly got between the men and pleaded that Lewis tell him his troubles. After a ten second heart to heart talk, during which Lewis was enabled to recover somewhat from the beating he had received, it developed that his "cup" had slipped. That there wasn't very much the matter with his "cup" was evident as he stood upright, and immediately the pair shaped up again he was the first to part with a couple of ineffective jabs.

Britton was continually carrying the fight to the Briton, who managed to bump into everything that Britton sent his way with the exception of his right swing, which he failed to time correctly and which Lewis was fortunate in escaping. Lewis made frantic efforts in the concluding round to get over a lucky one, but Britton was either away or inside the swings, doing effective work at both long range and close quarters.


1916-02-16 The Evening World (New York, NY) (page 10)

Jack Britton Again Wins Over Ted Lewis

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For the Second Time in Five Weeks Englishman Loses a No-Decision Bout.

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By John Pollock.

For the second time in the short period of five weeks Jack Britton, the fast and scientific local welterweight, won a newspaper decision over Ted "Kid" Lewis, the English boxer, in a ten-round bout. Jack outpointed Ted so decisively in the main go at the Broadway Sporting Club of Brooklyn last night that even the friends and admirers of the clever Briton admitted he had been beaten.

Britton fought in his usual cool and deliberate manner, and by carrying the fighting to Lewis and continually using a snappy straight left hand jab flush to his face succeeded in piling up such a large number of points that there was no question as to the victor at the final bell. Lewis did not display the same classy form that he has shown in the other bouts he has engaged in at the local clubs. It was the consensus of opinion among the good judges of pugilism present that he has been doing too much fighting.

One thing plainly noticeable about Lewis's battling was his poor judgment of distance, and the fact that he fought entirely on the defensive instead of being the aggressor. Lewis depended largely on a right hand swing, which he would let fly repeatedly for Britton's jaw. While Lewis managed to land many of these blows the majority of them either struck Britton high on the head or would glance off his chin.

Seldom did Lewis use a left jab, and as a result Britton would always beat him to the punch by often jabbing him twice or three times in the mouth or nose before Lewis could counter on him. Britton scored so frequently with his snappy lefts that Lewis bled from the nose in the last three rounds.

Lewis started off in the first two rounds as if he might carry off the honors, as he had the better of these sessions by landing the more effective blows. After that Britton cut loose, and with his quick, snappy lefts he had all the better of the battle up to the end of the ninth round. In the last round Lewis made a great spurt and succeeded in having the better of that session by scoring frequently on Britton with stiff punches at close quarters.

Lewis started too late, however, as Britton had too big an advantage over him in the other rounds. Britton weighed 143 1-2 pounds and Lewis 141 1-2.


1916-02-16 The New York Herald (New York, NY) (page 11)

BRITTON WINS BY 'AN IRISH MILE'

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Whips "Ted" Lewis in Bout in Which Neither Shows a Punch That Would Break a Storage Egg.

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Any admirer of "Willie Ritchie who happened to attend the bout between "Jack" Britton, of Chicago, and "Ted" Lewis, of England, at the Broadway Sporting Club of Brooklyn last night must have spent a pleasant evening. "Ted" is the boxer who initiated Ritchie into the welterweight ranks some time ago by treating the one-time lightweight champion to the beating of his career. In Britton, however, Lewis met an opponent of quite a different stamp, and no amount of press agenting will suffice to convince any one that Lewis is the only welterweight in existence. Britton beat Lewis by the proverbial Irish mile, leading by a slight margin of points on several of the early rounds and taking the fight in the later stages hands down.

It was an affair of points all the way through, neither boxer seeming to be possessed of a punch that would break the casing of a storage egg. For those who like to call boxing the science of self-defence, though, the bout filled the bill. Doctors' bills need not haunt the sleep of Britton, Lewis or the respective managers of the pair yet. Of science there was quite a bit, the ten rounds being fought through at a rate that made each period look as if it was of one minute's duration instead of three.

Lewis Tries to Draw Britton On.

As he did against Ritchie, Lewis tried his best to draw his man on and beat him to the punch. Unfortunately for "Ted's" preconceived scheme of fight, Britton did not introduce his jaw until he had sent his left glove on ahead. "Jack's" left jab was the barrier that proved too much for Lewis. For a while Lewis stood bravely up to the jabbing and tried to measure his opponent with a right, but these same jabs carried more steam than the Englishman bargained for, and both his eyes were puffing before he decided to mix things and in that way try to get a little of his own back.

Up to the end of the fifth round the bout was a splendid exhibition of footwork chiefly, but in the sixth Britton started a rally that had the house in an uproar. Boring in to the fleeing Lewis, the Chicagoan forced his opponent back upon the ropes and smothered him with straight arm jolts to the face and body. It was almost useless for "Ted" to try to break away and when he endeavored to fight back Britton "beat him to it." Britton was arm weary when he let up. One of "Jack's" punches had unfortunately slipped a little low and "Ted" made an appeal to the referee. Getting no sympathy from that quarters and nothing but derision from the spectators, Lewis lowered his head and smashed into Britton with all the blows that he had ever learned. Even that rally did not quite even the score against Lewis for the round, however.

Some Head On Slugging.

In the seventh round again there was some head on slugging. Lewis landed his stiff arm right half a dozen times on Britton's neck and "Jack" came back with his straight punches. One of these caught Lewis coming in and the Englishman's head went back on his shoulder blade.

While he seldom missed his lefts, Britton did not put a great deal of reliance on his right hand, and it is little wonder for Lewis was quick to get out of reach. In the third round Britton essayed one right swing that missed by a couple of yards. Telegraphed from the knee, the blow could have been seen almost by a blind man. When the glove came down where Britton had assured himself the target was awaiting Lewis was back at the ropes grinning while "Jack" was cutting figures of eight in the centre of the ring.

The fight conclusively proved one thing to the boxing enthusiasts of the metropolitan section and that is that "Jack" Britton is not again likely to fight as a lightweight. Britton tipped the beam at 143½ pounds and at that he had an advantage of two pounds over Lewis.

Speed was the keynote of the entire evening's programme for in the semi-final there were two fast boxers opposed. "Eddie" Campi, California featherweight, tried conclusions with "Kid" Sullivan, of Brooklyn, and Campi's victory was much in line with Britton's.


1916-02-16 The New York Press (New York, NY) (page 10)

Lewis Receives Lesson in Boxing From Britton

Englishman Is Clearly Outpointed in Broadway Sporting Club Bout--Jack Feints Kid Into Bowknots in Fast Contest.

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BY GEORGE B. UNDERWOOD.

"Ein, zwei, Gershon!" repeatedly yelled Kid Lewis's brother from the corner at the Broadway S. C. last night.

"Ein, zwei," he pleaded, which was Yiddish for "one, two," and was instruction for his brother--Lewis's right name is Gershon Mendeloff--to slip the "one-two" punch, a left jab and a quick-following right cross, over on Jack Britton.

But brother Mendeloff yelled in vain.

Elusive as a will-o-the wisp, Britton danced around Lewis, feinting him into bowknots and outboxing him four ways from the jack. Instead of rushing, tearing in on Lewis as Willie Ritchie did, Britton kept sliding in craftily and by clever feints drew Lewis in. Lewis would counter on the expected lead only to find himself countered on instead.

Britton easily solved Lewis's countering style of milling and his crafty feints had the Englishman at sea. The Chicagoan outboxed the boy from England from the first to the final clang of the gong.

But though Britton won easily on points, it was a fast fight all the way and the crowd got a run for its money. There were no knockdowns, but the men fought at top speed and there was plenty of snap and power behind their punches.

Britton All the Way.

Britton showed so clear a superiority over the Englishman last evening that many of the ringsiders wondered how Lewis ever gained the two Boston decisions over Britton. Jack either must have purposely pulled or been off form in those Boston mills if the referees awarded a just verdict.

Britton forced the fighting throughout last night's mill, but he did not do it in a rushing, tearing fashion. Lewis seldom makes the fighting and he forces his man to come to him. Jack came to him all right, but he glided in well covered up and by clever feinting--he feinted with head, body and even legs, as Abe Attell used to--drew Lewis's fire and countered with snappy punches himself.

Time and again Lewis, expecting a lead, shot over what was meant to be a counter only to find Britton had made him lead himself and countered on it prettily.

While Britton won largely through the clever way he nullified Lewis's counters, Jack also rang up lots of points on his wonderfully fast left jab. Britton shot out that left of his with the speed of a striking rattler. He made a target of Lewis's nose, and Ted's proboscis was red as a strawberry by the end of the first round.

Jack's Lefts Sting Lewis.

Jack kept pop-popping away with those lightning lefts, and, though Lewis blocked, ducked or slipped some of them, enough of Britton's jabs reached home to keep the claret flowing from Lewis's nose and mouth.

The weights were announced as Britton, 143½; Lewis, 141½. On account of his weight being above the waist Lewis looked the heavier of the two. The mill was ushered in by a ten-round semi-wind-up, in which Eddie Campi, the Frisco featherweight, boxed rings around Kid Sullivan, Paddy Roche's entry.

The semi-windup wasn't over until 10.20, and it was almost half an hour after the time set by the State Athletic Commission for all star bouts to be staged that the opening gong clanged. Chairman Wenck himself was there to see the violation of the rules.

Big Lead in Third.

Britton only shaded Lewis in the first two rounds, but in the third Jack handed Ted a nifty thumping. Pumping in left jabs to the face till Lewis must have thought he was bombarded by a duck hunter with a pump gun, Britton backed Lewis about the ring. Jack would jab, jab, jab, and then suddenly pull Lewis into a right. Near the end of the round Lewis made Jack miss a hard right swing and the Englishman laughed in grand stand fashion.

Britton won the fourth round by a wide margin, following one straight left with a right cross that made Lewis tremble. The fifth also went to Britton.

The sixth was the best round of the battle. At the clang of the gong Britton tore in at Lewis and backed him around the ring with rapid-fire lefts and rights. Lewis crossed with a right to the head, and Britton cut loose with a terrific body bombardment, ripping hard lefts and rights to the wind.

Lewis was hurt and he angered the crowd by claiming Britton had hit low. All of Britton's blows were well above the belt. Britton allowed Lewis to adjust his tights. Lewis then came back with a rush, and during the rest of the round there was some hard slugging, with little to choose between the pair.

Britton continued to outbox Lewis in the seventh and eighth. In the latter round Lewis bled profusely from the nose and mouth. Lewis was kept as busy as a bird dog in a briar patch trying to evade Britton's left jabs. It was the same old story in the ninth. The tenth was a corking round.

Britton cut loose again, and, ripping in hard lefts and rights, backed Lewis about the ring. Ted tried in vain to counter on Jack's leads. Near the end of the round Lewis slipped to the canvas. Britton had started a punch, but he pulled it, and, grasping Lewis by the arm, assisted him to his feet. Then he proceeded to complete the pummeling.


1916-02-16 The New York Times (New York, NY) (page 12)

BRITTON SHADES LEWIS.

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Chicago Boxer Outpoints English Welter at Broadway S. C.

Jack Britton, the Chicago welterweight, outpointed Ted (Kid) Lewis of England last night in the main ten-round bout at the Broadway Sporting Club of Brooklyn. It was an interesting exhibition of the scientific points of boxing from start to finish, with slugging and roughing almost eliminated. Several times, however, Britton got his opponent on the ropes and landed punishing blows to the stomach before Lewis could effectively block with his arms.

Britton won the honors of the bout on his ability to land a stinging left-hand jab to the face, and evade his opponent's attempt at retaliation. In many instances Lewis hit out blindly in return and often missed heavy swings for the face.

For the first four rounds, there was little to choose between the pair, each landing with about equal effectiveness. Britton showed to advantage in the fifth session, and repeatedly landed a straight left-hand blow to the face. When the English boxer bore in, Britton met him with a swinging left.

Early in the sixth session Britton rushed his opponent to the ropes, and while the boxers were locked in this position he landed several times with hard right and left hand blows to the body. Lewis jabbed cleverly as the men were separated, and managed to even the score for the remainder of the round, making Britton miss many attempts for the face.

The men fought hard from this stage of the bout until the final bell, with neither showing any inclination to give an inch. Britton had the Englishman on the defensive for the greater part of these last rounds and chased Lewis around the ring, landing his left to the face repeatedly, but falling short when he tried his right. Lewis essayed the aggressive in the eighth round, but was met with a left swing to the face as he came tearing at the Chicago boxer, and was on the defensive from then until the finish.

The weights were, Britton, 143½; Lewis, 141½.

In the semi-final Eddie Campi of California outpointed Kid Sullivan, a Brooklyn featherweight.


1916-02-16 The Standard Union (Brooklyn, NY) (page 10)

BRITTON KEEPS PROMISE; TAPS LEWIS ON NOSE

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Ted Kid Lewis, welterweight champion of England, is to-day nursing a sore nose. Jack Britton kept his word last night at the Broadway Sporting Club and tapped the Englishman on the nose. Incidentally he won a $50 suit of clothes from his manager, Dan Morgan, with whom he wagered this amount that he could hit Lewis on the nose at least fifty times. This Britton did, and in order that a recount would not be necessary, he tossed in a few extra taps in the bargain.

Britton, cool, deliberate, clever and determined, measured Lewis time and again with left jabs to the nose and had the Englishman's nose bleeding at the end of the contest.

Lewis is as fast as lightning. He was on his toes all through the fight when he wasn't doing a "Johnny Dundee jumping jack performance." Both men were wild at times when they resorted to swinging, but this was probably due to the fact the men were so fast more than their judgment of distance was poor. When they stood and boxed both men landed to the face and body. Britton missed many a right swing for the jaw that would probably have ended matters. So did Lewis. Jack forced the Englishman all around the ring in every round. In the sixth session both threw science to the winds and began slugging, Britton coming out on top by forcing Lewis to the ropes. Lewis landed several good right swings to Britton's jaw, but they only made the Chicago boy fight faster.

Twice Lewis slipped to the floor and was assisted to his feet by Britton, only to receive a bang on the nose as soon as they squared off to resume hostilities. It was a beautiful scrap from a scientific point of view and had the crowd cheering wildly throughout most of the rounds. The men drew a gate of $1,800, much below expectations. Johnny Weismantel lost money on the fight, but he seemed satisfied to hold the fight at his club, and give Brooklynites the best that can be had for the least money. This contest was to have been held at Madison Square Garden. Manager Weismantel, however, had previous claim to the men and he made the boys go through with their contracts. "I would have staged that fight at my club if it cost me personally $5,000," said Weismantel after the fight.

Eddie Campi, bantamweight champion of the Pacific Coast, scored an easy win over Kid Sullivan, of South Brooklyn. Young Morgan and Young Gorman went six rounds to a draw.


1916-02-16 The Sun (New York, NY) (page 11)

BRITTON OUTPOINTS SLUGGARDLY LEWIS

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Chicago Boxer Jabs His Way to Victory, Making Left Hand Do the Work.

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LOSER STRONG AT END

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Jack Britton, the Chicago welterweight, outpointed Ted Lewis, claimant of the title in that class, through a ten round bout at the Broadway Sporting Club in Brooklyn last night.

Lewis, who seemed to be somewhat stale, put up a grand finish in the last round, when he jabbed and belted Britton with both hands, but his grand stand finish could not begin to turn the tide of victory in his favor. Britton jabbed his way to victory. He used his right hand seldom, but he was accurate with the left. Lewis appeared sluggardly in his footwork and ducking. He could not keep away from Jack's left, especially when the latter had warmed to his work.

The bout, while spectacular, was not exactly appetizing to the crowded house, for both boys are long range maulers and depend more on skill and science than on sheer fighting.

In the first round Lewis had a clear shade, jabbing Britton's face at will and landing repeatedly with right swings and hooks. The second was even. From the third to the end of the fight Britton established a clear shade on points, although he did not damage Lewis to any extent. Lewis rallied in the sixth, carried the fight to Britton furiously and pounded him soundly in three separate rallies. In the last of these fusillades Britton accidentally hit low.

The seventh, eighth and ninth rounds were all Britton's by a good margin. Lewis had the tenth. Lewis scales in at 141½ pounds, inside the legitimate welterweight limit. Britton was a pound and a half over the stipulated weight.

As a result of the encounter Britton wins the Dan Morgan welterweight championship of the world. Ted Lewis still retains the Jimmy Johnston title. In the semi-final ten round bout Eddie Campi of California won as he pleased over Kid Sullivan of Brooklyn.