Saturday, June 30, 2018

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
--------
COLISEUM CROWD WAITS 2 HOURS TO SEE TAME SETTO
--------
Only Knockout Landed Was by Ted Lewis, Who Floored Old General Interest.
--------
GUARANTEES TOO HEAVY
--------
Receipts of $1947 Insufficient to Cover Sums Promised to Britton and Foe.
--------
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
--------
Welterweights Keep Crowd Waiting While They Wrangle Over Guarantee, Then Go On and Stage Exhibition That Fails to Thrill.
--------
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
--------
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.
--------
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.
----
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.
----
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
--------
Shaded By Teddy Lewis.
--------
English Boxer Leads in Eight of Ten Rounds in Bout With Jack Britton.
--------
RESULTS OF QUEEN CITY A. C. BOXING BOUTS.
--------
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.
--------
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
--------
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
----------
REFEREE CONLEY CALLS BOUT DRAW
--------
The Lewis-Britton Bout Very Clever But Displeases Triple A Crowd.
--------
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
--------
Some of the Fans Thought Boxers Were Not Trying
--------
Tony Vatlin Gets a Draw in a Hard Battle With Charley Bergin
--------
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
--------
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
--------
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
----------
TITLE REMAINS WITH BRITTON
--------
Chicago Boxer Wins From Ted ("Kid") Lewis in 12 Rounds at Armory A. A.
--------
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
--------
Earns Award in 12-Round Bout at Armory A. A.
--------
Englishman Floored in Seventh With Left Hook to Jaw
--------
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
--------
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
--------
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
--------
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.
----
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
--------
Jabs to the End of the Nose Are Factors in the Victory.
--------
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
--------
Chicago Boxer Knocks the Props From Under the Englishman's Reputation at the Broadway Sporting Club.
--------
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
--------
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
--------
For the Second Time in Five Weeks Englishman Loses a No-Decision Bout.
--------
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'
--------
Whips "Ted" Lewis in Bout in Which Neither Shows a Punch That Would Break a Storage Egg.
--------
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.
--------
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.
--------
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
--------
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
--------
Chicago Boxer Jabs His Way to Victory, Making Left Hand Do the Work.
--------
LOSER STRONG AT END
--------
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.

Friday, June 29, 2018

1916-01-20 Ted (Kid) Lewis ND10 Jack Britton [Broadway Auditorium, Buffalo, NY, USA]

1916-01-21 Buffalo Courier (Buffalo, NY) (page 10)
BRITTON'S AGGRESSIVENESS WINS HIM SHADE OVER TED LEWIS IN ROUSING BATTLE
--------
Jack's Snappy Hitting, Fast Left and Forcing in First Five Almost Evened Up by Englishman's Rushing Finish--Crowd on Tiptoes in Fierce Rallies.
--------
KING MANUEL SCORES K. O.; FORREST AND BAKER DRAW
--------
THE WINNERS
--------
Jack Britton, 144¾, shaded Ted Lewis, 142. Ten rounds.
Eddie Forrest, 138½, drew with Sammy Baker, 142. Six rounds.
King Manuel, 160, knocked out Indian Jamieson. Second round.
Joe (Kid) Marr, 120, defeated Young Brown, 122. Six rounds.
--------
Jack Britton came through with all the class and fighting knowledge he ever knew to win a narrow shade over Ted Lewis, the title-chasing Englishman before a yelling mob of 4,000 at the Broadway auditorium last night. It was a good thing for Britton that he was in fine shape to go a terrific clip the first six rounds of the battle, for it was in those sessions that he won the margin given him. At that there were many who thought it a good draw.

In the final five rounds Ted Lewis showed the stuff that has made him a great fighter. He knew that Britton had a bit on him and piled on every ounce of steam. He boxed like lightning, swung and hooked and jabbed from every angle, rounding out a rally that had the crowd on its toes and left many shouting that he was entitled to a draw. It was close, but Britton had been the constant aggressor, had hit truer and harder and, most marvelous of all, electrified the crowd by actually beating Lewis to a straight left hand. Which, is something to do, neighbor.

Great Battle to Witness.

The battle was a pippin to watch. Lewis was the flitting, pyrotechnic, high-class boxer. Britton stood in close to his man, hands down, but when he started them they leaped like a whiplash. He just moved his head a fraction of an inch to make Lewis miss, and when he hit it was snappy and true. His body punching bothered Lewis, and in many of the rounds had Ted holding. Three times Britton missed haymakers that might have ended the battle. Lewis also missed a couple of well-meant clouts that had the sleep-producer behind them.

Lewis gave a wonderful exhibition of speed and stamina when he started his spurt in the sixth round. He was strong at the finish, while Britton was a bit tired. It was a sensational battle, one of the classiest between top-notch battlers that was ever staged anywhere.

The preliminaries were a sensational lot, barring the first, in which Joe Marr, substituted for Billy Kennedy, outclassed Young Brown, who gave a splendid exhibition of gameness.

King Manuel Scores K. O.

Kid Manuel showed further improvement when he knocked out Indian Jamieson in the second round with as clean a punch as ever won a battle. It was fairly even and full of rough going up to the second minute of the second round when Manuel met Jamieson with a right flush to the point of the jaw as the Indian swung off the ropes. He went down in a heap, legs under him, and although in a half-sitting posture, partially supported by the ropes couldn't move a muscle while Dick Nugent counted the ten over him. Manuel then assisted his fallen foe to his corner. The round went two minutes and 38 seconds.

Eddie Forrest and Sammy Baker had the crowd shouting every minute of their six-round tilt, which was full of action and heavy wallops. Once Baker dove through the ropes into the press row when Forrest cleverly side-stepped. Baker caught Forrest some pile-driving punches, but Eddie covered well and outboxed Sammy at long range. In the last two rounds the boys let their punches fly like shrapnel in the trenches, with both doing the same execution. It was a corking good draw.

Dick Nugent refereed the preliminaries and Joe Suttner handled the main bout, both performing faultlessly. The club staged the main bout at 9:50, as had been promised, and the entire show was over before 10:45. The announcement that Jimmy Duffy and Knockout Brennan had been matched for January 31 drew a tremendous cheer.

The Fight by Rounds.

Round 1--Britton stepped from his corner and met the dancing Britisher in the center of the ring. Jack feinted and sent left to the body. Lewis moved slowly and registered a short, snappy left to the jaw. Jack returned a hard left from the shoulder that jarred Lewis. After prancing away from Jack's left, Lewis clouted his left twice, but his "tin ear" felt the effects of a counter smash and they clinched in Jack's corner. Ted missed and Britton surprised him with a left and right that placed him on the defensive. Ted realized he was in the ring with a boxer whose left was not inactive nor devoid of power and he backed up, pranced a few feet but failed to avoid a terrific uppercut. Britton continued with a right and left to the body while Ted was covering. Lewis moved his left wildly, but it struck a soft spot in Britton's stomach and the Chicagoan ended the round with a pile-driver that missed Lewis's jaw by a hair.

Round 2--Lewis lost little time jabbing his left and rushed Britton to the ropes but was halted by a sound tap to the head. As they broke Lewis's left, his hardest try thus far, went wild as Jack crouched. Ted pasted another glove in Britton's face. He stuck out his right and Jack found an opening big enough to hook a left. Britton missed as Lewis ducked, but Jack was quick to return a left that struck its mark. Lewis was shaking off the effects of the blow only to meet the aggressive Chicagoan in the center of the ring with a left. Ted reserved his right. He did not raise it to block his opponent, but he was forced to bring it into action at close range to stop the rain of body blows that were coming thick and fast. Lewis delivered three lefts and as Britton was straightening out Ted hastened him with another left.

Britton's Body Punching.

Round 3--Britton was lauded as a body puncher before he came into the ring and it was in this round that he drove both hands to Ted's body and stopped him in his tracks. Even the dance of Lewis, that was so classical in the opening round, was changed into a slow waltz. Britton drove left and right to body without receiving a return and then pelted the Britisher's stomach with blows that were firm and hit the mark every time. Ted's left was not so prominent and Jack was able to outbox Lewis at long range and outslug him when they were close. Jack missed and they clinched. As they broke away Britton dazed Lewis with four blows that came and went with tact and precision. He was Ted's master up to now.

Round 4--Lewis walked over to meet Britton in his own corner and they exchanged lefts. Jack tried hard to punish Ted with body blows and succeeded until the referee stepped between them. Lewis chased Britton across the ring and attempted to hook his left, but it was avoided. Britton was the aggressor and made Lewis miss. He jabbed Ted seven or eight times and a red hue replaced the blonde complexion on the Britton's face. Lewis's judgment of distance was poor. He again fell a victim to the slugging Chicagoan and took a beating in a terrific exchange in Britton's corner. Lewis slipped down in the melee and Jack raised his hands as if to help Ted up. Jack landed again with his right, which was his trump card and Lewis's nemesis.

Round 5--Lewis was not as wild as in the previous round. His straight left was working but lacked power. Britton drew him in closely with a left feint and then peppered him with both hands. Lewis backed to the ropes, tried to put over a haymaker that was feet away from Britton and then Jack drove him to the ropes with a one-two right and left. Lewis appeared to be trying for a knockout as the bell rang but his effort was a sweeping left that passed over Jack's head.

Lewis Coming Now.

Round 6--Ted came back strong and waded in. He took more chances in this round than at any time thus far. He managed to keep Jack's left away but could not sidestep the blow that menaced him in every round. Lewis struck his first good blow of the fight with his right, a short hook that rocked Britton. They clinched and Britton landed to the body. Lewis landed three straight lefts to face before the bell.

Round 7--Lewis was the aggressor. Jack was driven to his corner with a fusillade of short jabs. He missed twice and Lewis again telegraphed a brace of lefts that carried considerable power with them. Britton fought cautiously and let his opponent lead while he blocked and countered. Jack missed three tries for Lewis's head. Ted rushed and tried hard for Britton's jaw but missed it by inches.

Round 8--The fighters clinched and exchanged lefts. Ted struck Britton a terrific smash to the back of the head as he turned, but Jack was quick as a flash, came back and Ted felt his left twice, one to the "tin ear" and the other in the stomach. Ted's dance was reality again. Jack followed him into his corner, crowded him to the ropes, but Lewis waltzed away as Jack was deciding which hand he would send in. Lewis blocked a drive to the head, but he only deadened its effect. Britton's left was blocked and they clinched in the center of the ring.

Round 9--With a steady attack with his left working overtime Lewis pelted Britton and forced him on the defensive. Lewis's left appeared three times on Jack's face and they clinched. An uppercut sent Lewis to the ropes but he recovered and came back only to meet Britton's body blow. In a furious exchange Ted reeled Britton with a quartette of blows that landed solidly. Jack countered with a left to the head and as Ted started to dance away caught him with an uppercut that slowed the Britisher up. Ted clinched and the round ended with Britton trying hard to break away from his opponent's grip.

Both Staggered in 10th.

Round 10--In a sensational mixup Lewis and Britton staggered each other and every blow counted. It was no time to block and Ted tore loose and pelted Jack until he reared to the ropes. As he came to the center of the ring the flash of the Britisher was temporarily halted with a stiff uppercut and right to the body. Lewis exerted every effort and forsook his boxing knowledge for the toe-to-toe variety. He met a willing opponent and the fight ended with Lewis wading in with both hands, his dance being only a vision. Britton registered the final blow of the bout, a stiff uppercut that almost caused Ted to forget to shake hands as the bell rang.


Ed Curley Calls the Bout a Draw
--------
(BY ED CURLEY.)

Well, Ted Lewis, the welterweight champion, and Jack Britton fought their ten-round battle last night and everybody said everything looked even at the finish. Therefore the bout must be called a draw.

The summary of the fight can be figured up tersely. Lewis started out like a quarter horse. Britton passed him at the half. Lewis caught him at the six furlongs and they went under the wire head and head.

Joe Suttner, who refereed the fight, acted like a regular fellow; didn't miss or mar anything. Dick Nugent, Stout Old Dick, did the honors for the preliminaries in great fashion.

The club handled the fight immensely, even better than most of the scraps down our way are handled, for there were no bartenders in the press row.


1916-01-21 Buffalo Evening News (Buffalo, NY) (page 18)
BRITTON'S LEFT WINS SHADE FOR HIM OVER LEWIS
--------
Effective Jab of the Chicago Stockyards Lad Beats Englishman in Landing and Gives Jack Best of Exchanges--Lewis Seemed Slow.
--------
At the Auditorium last night Ted Lewis (142) and Jack Britton (144¾) scrapped through a left-handed "box-fight" for 10 lively rounds with no damage on either side. Each seemed to have a dangling and useless right maulie. Those wings looked like the reserve troops, but they were not called out. As stabbers and jabbers both Britton and Lewis showed themselves past masters. But they might as well have left their right arms where they last fought. It was an interesting but not wildly exciting performance. Neither boxer cared to do much thumping at close quarters and there was not enough fiddling for a barn dance. Lewis and Britton emerged from the imbroglio a trifle bumpy about the bean, but bloodless and scarless.

The NEWS concensus gives Britton a shade, based on the fourth and fifth rounds which were heavily in favor of Britton according to all the four NEWS critics. The other rounds are so slightly shaded one way or the other that they offset. But the real factor in giving the shade to Britton would be in his aggressiveness as against the runaway tactics of Lewis. Britton, though of shorter reach beat Lewis to the punch repeatedly. It was not exactly the red-hot affair that the boxing fans had set themselves to witness.

The first round was a feeler with Lewis having possibly a shade the better of the tapping. The second round was faster, both working their lefts like shuttles, with honors about even. Britton beat Lewis to stab in the third, fourth and fifth rounds and acquired a substantial lead. Lewis came back strong in the sixth, and had the better of it. The seventh saw both boxers well extended with honors even. Britton had a pale shade of the eighth and ninth periods, with the final tilt even and hot. The summary of rounds, according to the NEWS concensus, gives the following result:

Round 1--Lewis a shade.
Round 2--Even.
Round 3--Britton.
Round 4--Britton, heavy.
Round 5--Britton.
Round 6--Lewis, a shade.
Round 7--Even.
Round 8--Britton, a shade.
Round 9--Britton, a shade.
Round 10--Even.

The Preliminaries.

The preliminaries showed some lively milling. In the opener Joe Marr (120) and Kid Brown (122) whaled away merrily for six rounds. Marr had the advantage in reach and was entitled to a shade. The second joust saw Kid Manuel of Erie (160) and Indian Jamieson (166). They went at it hammer and tongs and brought the crowd to its feet. The first round was fairly even, and in the second round the Indian was doing famously with a nasty right cross, when Manuel accidentally countered with a heavy right swing, which caught Jamieson on the point of the jaw, and he crumpled up and was counted out by Referee Joe Suttner.

Sammy Baker and Eddie Forest, 138½ and 142 respectively, went six rounds to a draw. Baker was the shiftier boxer, but Forest carried the better wallop. Baker had the better of the first and third rounds, while Forest might claim the second and fourth, with the others even.


1916-01-21 Buffalo Morning Express (Buffalo, NY) (page 12)
BRITTON IS THE BETTER
--------
Ted Lewis Shaded in Sensational Battle of the Rival Welterweight Boxers.
--------
QUICK LEFT DID IT
--------
American Kept His Glove Hard and Fast in Englishman's Face and Held Him.
--------
WAS AN EXCITING FINISH
--------
Lewis Fought it Out Desperately at the End and Well Nigh Evened it up.
--------
It was a rejuvenated Jack Britton who faced Ted Lewis in the Queensberry Athletic club ring last night and it was well, perhaps, for the English welter that he first defended his newly won world's championship laurels in a no-decision bout, for, had Referee Joe Suttner been called on to award the honors at the end of their ten rounds, the Broadway Auditorium would probably have rung with cheers acclaiming a new champion.

There was a big undercurrent of feeling for Lewis at the end and there was a big host which could see nothing worse than a draw for the foreigner, but the consensus of opinion was that in boxing skill, fighting ability and ring generalship the American boy had shaded the British crack.

Buffalo's Best No-decision Bout.

The bout of the two great rivals turned up what was probably Buffalo's best ten-round no-decision bout. It was a match which teemed with interest from first to last and from first one side and then the other was reflected all the finer points of the great game of hit, stop and getaway.

At 144¾ pounds Britton had a bit the advantage over the Englishman, who came in ???? ???? had not fairly shaped in the ring before it became apparent that Britton had trained as faithfully as reported.

As they started it was evident that neither had lost his respect for the other and they went at it warily. But Britton showed no timidity in his attack and for the first half of the bout electrified the great assemblage in the Auditorium by forcing his man about the ring, sticking his left into the face, hard and ????, warding off attacks, mixing well and generally outboxing his man. As the bout wore on Lewis gathered strength and when, in the losing rounds he fought desperately against the engulfing tide, he well nigh evened up the score, his efforts in the concluding rounds resulting in some red-hot mixing in which Ted had none the worst of it.

Lewis Pats His Rival in Praise.

The smile which had vanished from Lewis's face in the early rounds began to come back towards the last, but it was Ted who paid the compliment of the pat on the back when the final gong sounded a cessation of hostilities and the excited spectators rose to a man to cheer one of the greatest contests in which men of the class ever participated. It was as perfect a glove contest as could be.

Three corking six-round matches led up to the final affair. Young Marr, 120, substituted for Billy Kennedy, who did not pass the doctor, and boxed Young Brown at 122. Marr had the better of the bout. King Manuel, 160, knocked out the Indian champion, Jamieson, 166, in the second round. Eddie Forrest, 138½, and Sammy Baker, 142, boxed a slashing draw.

All Keyed up.

There was every indication that the battle would be bitterly contested. The rival managers, Jimmie Johnston for Lewis and Dan Morgan for Britton, hurried to Buffalo in the morning from Saint Paul and New York, respectively, and the downtown sporting resorts fairly quivered with excitement as the bout was discussed. What betting was indulged in about town favored Lewis slightly. Although he had gained two decisions over Britton in Boston it was appreciated that they were close affairs and the fine work done by Britton in training in Buffalo had an impression that fairly equalled that won for Lewis by his Kid Graves victory on Monday night in Milwaukee.

The electric spark of rivalry sprang up at the weighing-in time, when, although the match was at catch weights the men squabbled over fractions of a pound like school-boys.

When they shook hands Johnston complained about oil on Britton's skin and the referee took a towel and rubbed him down a bit, while Jack sneered at Johnston and Lewis laughed aside. Johnston slapped his hands together, shook his head and stalked the ring, glaring from his corner at Morgan in the Britton corner.

"Put those two New York game cocks in with the gloves on and let's have an impresario contest," yelled one of the fancy.

Both Johnston and Morgan laughed.

Britton Forced in.

Britton forced right in on his man when the gong rang and opened hostilities by sticking the left to the face. Ted bobbed in, but caught another left and danced back. Ted was alive on his toes as he retreated, feinting, and Jack went in for him flat footed. Both went through the round, depending entirely on the left, though Lewis sent over a wicked right swing at the bell which Jack ducked. Britton opened with the second with left to the face and then, as he forced Lewis along the ropes, there was a series of splendid changes. Jack, standing straight as an arrow, sent home the left and crept close in with right and lefts. Lewis crouched, ducked and came up with left and right in short arm jolts for the head. Both tried rights just before the bell and missed at eyelash range and, as Lewis came in, Britton lifted a right uppercut just a second too soon. It was a good even round, with great action.

Exchange followed exchange as Britton waded in and cornered his man in the third. Lewis, on his toes, with lightning left and rights, was fairly sailing, though on the retreat, when Britton got home two hard rights in quick succession, shaking Lewis, and forcing him about the ring with Jack's left continually in his face, hard and plump. This was a Britton round.

The fourth round had the house wildly applauding and cheering on Britton, who shone brilliantly. Three good lefts in succession by Jack found lodgment on the Lewis face and Ted angrily swung the right, open glove, to face. Britton then popped no less than five lefts hard to the face, ducked a swing from Ted and tore into his man, Lewis going wild in his delivery. Jack was boxing beautifully and fairly pasted them home to the Lewis countenance. Ted fell backing up and Britton motioned him to his feet in his eagerness to hustle matters. The round ended with some wicked leading and Britton blocking Lewis's hard leads.

Britton forced Lewis to a corner and planted left, short, to the jaw in the fifth and popper three more lefts to head, but Ted got home a corking left swing to the head.

Lewis Starts to Whale.

Lewis came out to force matters in the sixth and it was a merry round. Britton met the attack with vigor and both men using the right with the left they battled over the ring and back. Lewis got a long sweeping right home to the head and it shook Jack, but he went in hard. Ted boxed it out wickedly and had the round. Lewis came right out on the attack with two long sweeping lefts, but on a third attempt he brought up against a stiff left jab. They were mixing hotly at the end and Lewis's good left to the jaw did not help Jack. Lewis, crashing left to the jaw, sent Jack back at the start of the eighth, but he came right on and in a series of exchanges outfought Lewis and had him retreating and holding in the exchanges. Lewis made a desperate round of the ninth, continually urged from his corner to "swing the right." A right to the jaw sent Jack teetering on his heels, but first one then the other excelled in the exchanges and Britton was boxing hard at the end. Jack got a fast left to face in the tenth and then Lewis rallied and swung right and left hard and, at cries "you've got him," hurried along with a shower of good blows. One by the right shook Jack, but he was boxing in hard and edging his man to the corner at the bell.

"Told you--Britton was the toughest in America at the weight," puffed Lewis as he leaped out of the ring.

"Think he won it, but got no worse than a draw. Had it not been for Lewis's right in none too good condition w'd have duplicated Boston easily," stoutly declared Johnston.

"First time I was right for this baby and I taught him something tonight," ejaculated Jack, proudly, in his dressing-room.

The Preliminaries.

Young Marr (120) and Young Brown (122) figured in the opening preliminary of six rounds, with Marr the better throughout. Young Brown, though, displayed more willingness to make it an animated bout. Marr, while jabbing out a victory, proved a lazy worker.

While the second preliminary scheduled for six rounds, between King Manuel (160) and Indian Jamison (166), went only two rounds, with a knockout to Manuel's credit, it was a crackling, sizzling affair that kept the crowd's attention every second.

Right off the reel both sent over a rapid fire of blows. Manuel took the first round by a shade. The second round found the Indian running up the points for cleverness and more frequently heavy scoring to head and body. After Manuel was well shaken up by a heavy body punch, he leaped into the Indian with a heavy left to stomach, followed by a right swing that landed flush on the Indian's jaw, sending him crashing through the ropes. The Indian gamely endeavored to collect himself, but his head was the heaviest part of his body, and try as he would, he just about succeeded in raising it off the mat as the tenth second was tolled off. Manuel's victory was an impressive one.

The semifinal bout of six rounds, between Eddie Forrest (138½) of Philadelphia and Sammy Baker (142) of Lockport, was a hotly contested one throughout, with the tide of advantage shifting to and fro. At the end a draw would fit the summarizing appropriately. Forrest, while showing more ring craft, found a willing, persistent worker in Baker, who, despite being the receiver of many sound smacks to body, never ceased to force matters, and in the mixes well contested the close-range work. The bout proved a good vehicle to usher in the main bout.


Ed. Curley's Lewis-Britton Decision a Draw
--------
Ed Curley, the New York American sporting editor, was an interested spectator at the ringside of the Jack Britton-Ted Lewis boxing last night. At the conclusion of the bout Curley found for a draw. "It was as pretty a ten-round match as I have seen," said he, "and, while there are points in favor of both men, I find that the consensus of opinion is that the battle was a draw."


1916-01-21 The Buffalo Commercial (Buffalo, NY) (page 6)
BRITTON HAD SHADE ON LEWIS IN GREAT BATTLE
--------
Jack Britton fought like the Britton of old against Ted Lewis in the Queensberry ring last night. Britton didn't whip Lewis decisively. It was one of those stubbornly, hard fought contests, the sort of a battle that leaves both boys claiming the winner's spoils. Britton says he won all by himself. Lewis is carting home the impression that he beat Britton on points. The writer awards Britton a slight shade.

Here's the way we figured the progress of the battle, round for round. The first was even up, the second Lewis's, the third Britton's, the fourth was Britton's, the fifth was even, very even; the sixth Lewis's, the seventh another even-stephen, the eighth was Lewis's, the ninth was Britton's by a wide margin and the tenth was Britton's round by a slight advantage.

Lewis, wonderful fighter and boxer, but a trifle stale, we fear, need not feel ashamed of his showing against Britton. Lewis, for five rounds, showed all the pep and aggressiveness and cleverness he exhibited against Brennan, but in the last five rounds of the match his polish began to diminish and he lost that touch of class necessary for a battler to possess in order to sweep on to victory over a cunning veteran of Britton's type. Lewis was in there every second, fighting for all he was worth, but Britton, an old fox from the ground up, had the edge and he pressed his advantage, cautiously, but with the skill of a ring master.

Britton, when he is in good physical trim, conditioned to the minute, as he was last night, is without question one of the world's greatest light welterweights. Lewis, too, is knocking at the door that leads to the classroom wherein are assembled the best of his brigade, but Lewis, judging him on his stride of last night, has gone stale. He has lost his snap. He tried in vain to spurt, but the old kick was lacking. He knew what he wanted to do and he tried to do it, but his legs wouldn't carry him as fast as his brain worked, and his fists didn't come from all directions, as Lewis's fists fly when he's all set. Lewis has fought four exceptionally hard matches within three weeks and he needs and should take a brief rest. He admits himself he burned his vitality licking Ritchie. Lewis followed that match by engaging in a rough and fast battle with Brennan, and only last Monday night Lewis fought Kid Graves at Milwaukee, the latter hailed as a champion in the middle west. On top of those three stiff scraps, Lewis stepped into the ring with Britton last night, encountering Britton in the best form Jack has showed in many, many months, as Dan-Yell Morgan acknowledged.

Britton has mastered a style of boxing all his own. He stands flat-footed most of the time, always set for a leap-frog type of boxer. He reserves his strength. He doesn't waste his energy chasing his rival. He edges in close, crowding his man at all times, pulling back just far enough to avoid a blow and he hooks his punches from short angles, fast and snappy. Britton doesn't appear to hit hard, but his long string of knockouts proves he punches with a cruel sting. He stung Lewis, not once, but several times. Lewis stung Britton, we'll admit, but if each were to tell the truth we'd bet Britton hurt Lewis more than Lewis hurt Britton.

In the eighth round, for instance, Britton hooked Lewis on the jaw with a short left stab. Lewis's knees knocked together and he wabbled, but past masters of the ring like Lewis and Britton instantly cover up any trace of distress, unless knocked kicking. Lewis clinched, stalled and wasted just enough time at close range, with Britton's arms well locked, to avoid disastrous results. Britton knew he had hurt Lewis and he tried to break away and add more damage, but the gong clanged too soon to permit Britton to inflict additional jolts.

Toward the tailend of the battle Lewis gave plenty of evidence of his respect for Britton's skill at infighting. From the seventh to the end of the tenth, Lewis, barring flashes, jabbed and swung and clinched. Of course, that's boxing--hit and prevent the other fellow from striking back. But Lewis's idea, no doubt, was to avoid Britton's short, well timed and beautifully executed wallops to the short ribs, blows that hurt, though one looking on may not think so.

In the fourth round Lewis made a wild swing at Britton. Foxy Jack pulled back just a few inches. Lewis, with all his weight behind the blow, was carried off his feet by the momentum of his body. Lewis sprawled on the mat, but he was up before Referee Suttner could count "one." It wasn't a knock down. Britton didn't even hit Lewis. That's genuine cleverness--when a boxer can make the other fellow miss and fall from his own effort.

From a spectator's viewpoint, last night's scrap was a corker. It pleased the fan who delights in watching two past masters employ all the tricks known to the ring. And the fan who loves old-fashioned slugging was in his glory. There was plenty of excellent boxing and hard fighting. Neither boy spared himself. Each was out to win and win decisively. Ed. Curley, sporting editor of the New York American, a man who has reported all the important boxing bouts here in the East during the past twenty years, told the writer that Lewis and Britton fought one of the best all around battles he had witnessed in years. The writer agrees with Curley that it was a remarkable contest, samples of which we see too seldom.

There was a big crowd on hand, a very cosmopolitan gathering. The preliminaries were good, even the opener, which gave promise of being a flivver at the beginning. Kennedy, the steel plant youth, was denied the privilege of boxing. The doctor refused to pass him. Joe Marr was substituted. Young Brown was Joe's opponent. They stepped six rounds and Marr won easily. Brown is a strong, willing lad, but not well posted in the art of hit and miss.

King Manuel scored a knockout over Indian Jamieson. A solid poke on the jaw sent Jamieson to the mat for the count in the second round. Manuel is a very much improved boxer.

Eddie Forrest and Sammy Baker boxed six rounds at a merry clip. There was plenty of excitement in this bout. They boys were unusually rough at times.


1916-01-21 The Buffalo Enquirer (Buffalo, NY) (page 6)
LEWIS IS SHADED BY BRITTON
--------
FAST BOUT
--------
Two Crack Welterweights Give Brilliant Exhibition--Aggressive Jack, Slippery Ted--Jamieson Knocked Out.
--------
Two masters of the art of boxing--Ted Lewis of England and Jack Britton of New York-Chicago--gave a brilliant exhibition of professional fisticuffs last night in the presence of a large audience at the Broadway Auditorium. The bout was replete with sensational expectancy. By virtue of persistent plugging and conscientious endeavor Britton earned a slight shade over the foxy and elusive English Jew. Not that Lewis is to be robbed of any of his glory as a boxer and fighter par excellence, but he managed to face a Britton last evening who strongly resembled the Britton of old and a chap who was in splendid physical condition for an exchange of healthy swats.

In fistic events of the character of this bout there is bound to be a diversity of opinion. Some of those who watched with keen interest every movement of the men in the ring unhesitatingly declared the contest was a great draw at the conclusion of ten bitterly fought rounds. Not a few had a leaning toward Lewis, but this is to be expected by partisans. The close student of boxing could not help but notice that Britton was always forcing Lewis to back ground and that the New Yorker's left was continually being shoved in the face of the welterweight king. True, Lewis would counter with wonderful style and prove as slippery as an eel just when Jack had it all figured out to land a crushing blow. There were times when it looked as though either one or the other would get over a blow that would disable his man, but resounding whacks landed by Lewis upon the face of Jack did not make him falter, and some of the punches that Jack handed to Lewis did not seem to slow up the bouncing speed of the heady Britisher.

This was the fourth meeting of Lewis and Britton. They are so evenly matched that another encounter would be as interesting. When they first met they fought a ten-round no decision bout. In their second and third contests, held in a Boston arena, Lewis received the decision each time from a referee. No referee, who saw last night's fight, could honestly give Lewis anything over Britton.

How It Figured.

The rounds were sized up as follows:

First--Britton by a slight shade.
Second--Lewis.
Third--Even.
Fourth--Britton; Lewis went to the floor in a mixup but not from a blow. While he was on one knee Britton told him to arise.
Fifth--Britton.
Sixth--Lewis.
Seventh--Even.
Eighth--Britton, slightly, or even.
Ninth--Britton.
Tenth--Even, or Lewis a shade.

Anyhow, it was a great fight and everybody was pleased. The prelims were up to the usual standard. Young Marr, 120 pounds, shaded Young Brown, 122 pounds, in a fast six-round bout. He jabbed his way to victory.

King Manuel of Rochester and Indian Jamieson of Buffalo, two husky middleweights, gave the crowd some real fireworks while the bout lasted. The Indian was delivering some good punches in a scientific manner when he stopped a left to the stomach and a right cross flush to the jaw. The latter punch knocked him halfway through the ropes, and he could not arise at the count of ten.

The semi-final of six rounds between Eddie Forrest and Sammy Baker pleased the audience. A draw was the consensus of opinion, although Forrest's friends loudly clamored for a shade in his favor. He did land some smashing blows to the mid-section of Baker, but found Sammy a willing battler. It was a splendid bout, and these boys in a ten-round engagement would furnish plenty of exchanges that would excite admiration.

Dick Nugent refereed the preliminaries and Joe Suttner handled the main bout. Ike Klipfel was timekeeper.