Benny Leonard
Titles: World lightweight champion 1917-1923
Record: 85-5-1 with 121 no decisions
Born: April 6, 1896 in New York City, New York, USA
Years active: 1911-1932
Nickname: The Ghetto Wizard
Benny Leonard is generally considered one of the 3 best lightweights of all time.
Benny Leonard set himself apart from the everyone else with his defensive skills
in a era dominated by sluggers like Dempsey, Ketchel, Walker and Greb. Leonard was
a thinking mans fighter whose feints regularly threw world class boxers off balance
and into his traps, his footwork was unsurpassed. The reflexes of Leonard were
simply amazing as he would have his opponent miss by mere inches with the shift
of a toe. While Leonard certainly did not lack power in either hand his boxing
skills were at such a advanced level for his time he was not given as much credit
for his power as he should have. Later in his career like other great fighters
Leonard started to slow down and power became a more important and recognized part
of his arsenal, still Leonard will always be remembered for his tactical skills.
His record would be much more impressive if he had not fought in the no decision
era where boxers where not given victories unless one boxer was knocked out. In
Leonard's career he fought over 80 non title bouts while holding on to the title
for a 7 1/2 year reign defeating such notable boxers as Rocky Kansas, Freddie
Welsh, Jack Britton, Johnny Dundee, Johnny Kilbane and Lew Tendler. Leonard also
got out of boxing while he was still a champion on the urging of his mother who
never wanted him to box, but was forced back into the sport when he lost all his
money in the great depression. Leonard was the only son of Jewish immigrants and
was raised on the tough lower east side of New York City. By the age of 15 Leonard
was boxing as a pro and keeping it a secret from his parents. Leonard was not a
instant hit as he was knocked out twice early in his career by Joe Shugrue and
Frankie Fleming whose names were lost to history while Leonard overcame these
early setbacks. In fact Leonard is positively the best pure boxer to have started
and ended his career with knockout losses. But Leonard learned by taking on the
best. Early fights with veteran Johnny Dundee gave Leonard invaluable knowledge
on the tricks of the ring. They boxed for over 45 rounds in 3 separate bouts
before Leonard finally showed his dominance by knocking out the great Dundee in
their fourth bout. By 1916 Leonard was a top contender by knocking out Ever Hammer
and Joe Mandot which gave Leonard the clout to get a title shot. Two 10 round no
decision fights with champion Freddie Welsh set the stage and audience for his
ultimate title victory over Welsh. In the first two bouts Leonard was thought to
have gotten the best of Welsh in close bouts. In their third meeting when Leonard
won the title Welsh came into the fight over the weight and could not run from the
fleet footed Leonard. Three knockdowns sealed the fate of Welsh and after 9 rounds
of constant pounding Welsh lost his crown via knockout. In his first title defense
Leonard repelled the challenge of featherweight champion Johnny Kilbane easily
knocking out the smaller champ in 3 rounds. Things got harder after this title
defense however and he was forced to battle and come back in some of his fights.
Against Charley White Leonard was knocked out of the ring in the fifth round and
had to climb back into the ring before knocking white out in the 9th. Leonard also
almost lost his title when he got careless against Richie Mitchell and walked into
a sucker punch after flooring Mitchell three times in the first round. It took two
rounds for Leonard to recover and another 3 to knock Mitchell out. The most famous
escape came when Lew Tendler rocked Leonard with a left hook and did not realize
how badly Leonard was hurt because Leonard waved Tendler in and talked to him after
the punch. Leonard would later say he remembered nothing of that fight after the
punch and operated purely on instinct. Leonard took a step up in weight when a
title shot at the welterweight level against Jack Britton presented itself. This
is the one blemish in a otherwise flawless career..... in more ways than one. The
fight is thought to have been a fix as Leonard outboxed Britton while obviously
not at his best! Still Leonard floored Britton in the 13th round and looked to be
the easy winner and new champion. Yet Leonard for some unknown reason walked over
to Britton who was still on his knees and being counted over by the referee and
punched him while he was down. Leonard was disqualified when Britton could not
continue to box. Leonard never really explained his actions in that fight. Still
Leonard fought on and even drew 60,000 fans to watch him battle Lew Tendler. The
bout was eagerly anticipated as Tendler had given Leonard a hard fight in their
previous non title affair. It was a close fight early but Leonard pulled away late
to win a well earned decision. This was the last major bout for Leonard before he
retired as the undefeated lightweight champion. In 1931 at the age of thirty five
Benny came back as a welterweight after he had lost most of his ring earnings in
the stock market crash. The comeback was a monetarily if not artistic success.
Leonard still had enough skills to win 19 bouts in a row but retired after he lost
via 6th round knockout to future champion Jimmy McLarnin. It was 3 years into his
comeback and Leonard knew he was slowing down and did not want to box on if he
could compete at the highest level. Benny retired but stayed active in boxing as a
referee and judge during World War II Leonard became a lieutenant in the merchant
marines. Leonard died at New York Cities famous St. Nick's Arena where he suffered
a fatal heart attack while refereeing a fight. Perhaps the greatest legacy of
Leonard is that for 50 years after he stopped boxing he was the lightweight all
others were compared to until the emergence of Roberto Duran.
Benny Leonard
Career Record: 85 W, 5 L, 1 D, 121 ND (69 KO's)
1911
Sep -- Mickey Finnegan New York, NY KO by 3
----- Johnny Faulter New York, NY ND4
----- Young Stanley New York, NY KO2
----- Billy Meyers New York, NY KO1
----- Frankie Pass New York, NY KO3
9 Dec Young Goldie New York, NY ND 4
25 Dec Smiling Kemp New York, NY KO1
25 Dec Sammy Marino New York, NY ND6
1912
3 Feb Joe Kane New York, NY KO5
24 Feb Young Goldie New York, NY KO2
5 Mar Joe Shugrue New York, NY KO by 4
13 Apr Packey Brennan New York, NY KO3
3 May Frankie Fleming New York, NY KO by 4
-- May Battling Travis New York, NY ND6
-- May Battling Travis New York, NY ND6
--Jun Young Cross New York, NY ND6
-- Jun Young Price New York, NY KO5
-- Jun Kid Goodman New York, NY ND6
--Jul Kid Ghetto New York, NY KO6
-- Jul Paddy Parker New York, NY KO2
- Aug Young McGowan Rutherford, NJ ND6
- Sep Willie Singer New York, NY KO1
3 Sep Ah Chung New York, NY KO6
28 Sep Herman Schneider New York, NY ND10
2 Nov Special Delivery Hirsch New York, NY ND10
- Dec Jimmy McVeigh New York, NY ND6
1913
14 Jan Johnny Lustig New York, NY ND10
3 May Eddie Powers New York, NY ND10
22 May Eddie Powers ?, NJ ND6
29 May Dave Cronin New York, NY ND10
20 Jun Johnny Carroll New York, NY KO1
12 Jul Walter Brooks New York, NY ND10
2 Aug Walter Hennessy New York, NY KO3
16 Aug Frankie Fleming New York, NY ND10
27 Sep Tommy Houck New York, NY ND10
4 Oct Young Fitzsimmons New York, NY ND10
23 Oct Willie Jones New York, NY ND10
15 Nov Jack Sheppard New York, NY ND10
8 Dec Harry Tracey New York, NY ND10
20 Dec Danny Ridge New York, NY ND10
30 Dec Special Delivery Hirsch New York, NY ND10
1914
3 Jan Charlie Barry Brooklyn, NY ND10
6 Jan Kid Black New York, NY ND10
20 Jan Phil Bloom New York, NY ND10
24 Jan Joe Stacy New York, NY ND10
3 Mar Patsy Cline New York, NY ND10
3 Apr Young Abe Brown New York, NY ND10
30 May Willie Schaefer New York, NY ND10
20 Jun Teddy Hubbs New York, NY ND10
18 Jul Billy Kraemer New York, NY ND10
14 Aug Tommy Houck Elmsford, NY KO7
22 Aug Bobby Reynolds New York, NY ND10
25 Aug Eddie Wallace Brooklyn, NY ND10
7 Sep Phil. Pal Moore Rockaway, NY ND10
16 Sep Joe Thomas New York, NY ND10
3 Oct Phil Bloom Brooklyn, NY ND10
31 Oct Young Driscoll Brooklyn, NY ND10
7 Nov Harry Condon New York, NY ND10
26 Nov Phil Bloom New York, NY ND10
12 Dec Frankie Conifrey New York, NY ND10
1915
11 Jan Jack Sheppard New York, NY WF 5
16 Jan Johnny Drummie New York, NY ND10
15 Feb Tommy Langdon Philadelphia, PA ND6
18 Feb Patsy Cline New York, NY ND10
2 Mar Johnny Dundee New York, NY ND10
20 Mar Jimmy Duffy New York, NY ND10
24 Mar Joe Goldberg New York, NY ND10
29 Apr Johnny Kilbane New York, NY ND10
18 May Franky Callahan Brooklyn, NY ND10
19 Jun Al Schumacher New York, NY KO7
13 Aug Young Drummie New York, NY ND10
8 Nov Gene Moriarty Brooklyn, NY KO3
13 Nov Banty Sharpe NY ND10
19 Nov Joe Azevedo New York, NY ND10
17 Dec Joe Mandot New York, NY KO7
1916
1 Jan Joe Welsh Philadelphia, PA KO5
8 Feb Phil Bloom Boston, MA KO8
11 Feb Shamus O'Brien Syracuse, NY ND10
21 Feb Jimmy Murphy Philadelphia, PA KO6
28 Feb Rocky Kansas Buffalo, NY ND10
8 Mar Johnny Dundee New York, NY ND15
13 Mar Sam Robideau Philadelphia, PA ND6
17 Mar Shamus O'Brien New York, NY KO7
31 Mar Freddie Welsh New York, NY ND10
1 May Charlie Thomas Philadelphia, PA ND6
20 Apr Phil Bloom New York, NY ND10
12 Jun Johnny Dundee New York, NY ND10
23 Jun Vic Moran New York, NY ND10
28 Jul Freddie Welsh Brooklyn, NY ND10
18 Aug Joe Azevedo New York, NY ND10
9 Sep Eddy McAndrews Philadelphia, PA KO5
14 Sep Frankie Conifrey New York, NY KO7
25 Sep Johnny Tillman Philadelphia, PA ND6
9 Oct Johnny Nelson Philadelphia, PA ND6
18 Oct Ever Hammer Kansas City, MO KO12
10 Nov Stanley Yokum NY ND10
15 Nov Johnny Dundee Philadelphia, PA ND6
21 Nov Harvey Thorpe St. Louis, MO KO12
28 Nov Chick Simler New York, NY ND10
1917
23 Jan Eddie Wallace Philadelphia, PA ND6
30 Jan Phil Bloom Brooklyn, NY ND10
1 Feb Frankie Callahan Brooklyn, NY ND10
7 Feb Wildcat Leonard CA KO4
28 Feb Jimmy Regan New York, NY ND10
12 Mar Johnny Tillman Philadelphia, PA ND6
22 Mar Packey Hommey New York, NY KO9
19 Apr Richie Mitchell Milwaukee, WI KO7
7 May Charley Thomas Philadelphia, PA KO6
10 May Eddie Shannon Brooklyn, NY KO6
28 May Freddie Welsh New York, NY KO9
(Won World Lightweight Title)
4 Jun Joe Welsh Philadelphia, PA ND6
18 Jun Johnny Nelson New York, NY KO3
25 Jul Johnny Kilbane Philadelphia, PA KO3
3 Sep Young Rector Toronto KO5
12 Sep Jimmy Paul New York, NY ND6
14 Sep Phil Bloom Pittsburgh, PA KO2
21 Sep Leo Johnson New York, NY KO 1
27 Sep Eddie Dorsey Buffalo, NY KO2
5 Oct Vic Moran New York, NY KO2
10 Oct Jack Britton New York, NY ND10
22 Oct Eddie Wagond Philadelphia, PA ND6
23 Oct Young Erne Buffalo, NY ND10
24 Oct Toughey Ramsey Cleveland, OH KO7
12 Nov Gene Delmont St. Paul, MN KO8
28 Nov Frank Kirk Denver, CO KO1
12 Dec Patsy Cline Philadelphia, PA ND6
17 Dec Chick Brown CT KO5
19 Dec Fred Kelley PA ND6
1918
8 Apr Young Joe Borrell Philadelphia, PA ND6
13 Apr Jack Brazzo Philadelphia, PA KO4
10 May Young McCarthy San Francisco, CA ND4
20 May Louie Rees Los Angeles, CA ND4
25 May Mike Golindo San Diego, CA W4
25 Jun Jack Britton Philadelphia, PA ND6
4 Jul Jack Brazzo Wildwood, NJ KO8
22 Jul Young Gradwell Jersey City, NJ KO5
16 Sep Harry Pierce Philadelphia, PA ND6
23 Sep Ted Lewis Newark, NJ ND8
1919
1 Jan Paul Doyle Philadelphia, PA ND6
13 Jan Eddy Kelly Philadelphia, PA ND6
20 Jan Johnny Dundee Newark, NJ ND8
31 Jan Joe Benjamin San Francisco, CA W4
5 Feb Spider Roche Oakland, CA ND4
21 Feb Willie Ritchie San Francisco, CA ND4
26 Mar Harry Thorpe Joplin, MO ND10
28 Apr Willie Ritchie Newark, NJ KO8
21 May Young Erne Trenton, NJ KO6
9 Jun Charlie Pitts Montreal, Canada ND10
16 Jun Johnny Dundee Philadelphia, PA ND6
24 Jul Joe Malone Newport, RI KO3
11 Aug Patsy Cline Philadelphia, PA ND6
4 Sep Soldier Bartfield Philadelphia, PA ND6
8 Sep Johnny Clinton Syracuse, NY ND10
17 Sep Johnny Dundee Newport, RI ND8
1 Oct Charlie Metrie Detroit, MI KO7
15 Oct Phil Bloom Detroit, MI ND10
10 Nov Soldier Bartfield Jersey City, NJ ND8
17 Nov Jimmy Duffy Tulsa, OK KO2
27 Nov Soldier Bartfield Philadelphia, PA ND6
10 Dec Mel Coogan Jersey City, NJ KO2
19 Dec Red Herring Memphis, TN KO6
22 Dec Jack Abel Atlanta, GA ND10
1920
9 Feb Johnny Dundee Jersey City, NJ ND8
5 Jul Charley White Benton Harbor, MI KO9
(Retained World Lightweight Title)
10 Sep K.O. Loughlin Camden, NJ KO9
25 Sep Pal Moran East Chicago, IN ND10
4 Oct Frankie Britt Hartford, CT KO5
8 Oct Johnny Sheppard Patterson, NJ KO3
18 Oct Johnny Tillman Akron, OH W10
11 Nov K.O. Loughlin Camden, NJ ND10
17 Nov Eddie Kelly New York, NY KO5
26 Nov Joe Welling New York, NY KO14
(Retained World Lightweight Title)
1921
14 Jan Richie Mitchell New York, NY KO6
(Retained World Lightweight Title)
21 Feb Eddie Moy Dayton, OH KO3
25 Feb Joe Welling St. Louis, MO ND8
6 Jun Rocky Kansas Harrison, NJ ND12
22 Nov Sailor Friedman Philadelphia, PA ND8
20 Dec Tim Droney Philadelphia, PA ND8
(Retained World Lightweight Title)
1922
10 Feb Rocky Kansas New York, NY W15
(Retained World Lightweight Title)
25 Feb Pal Moran New Orleans, LA ND10
20 Mar Johnny Clinton Boston, MA W10
26 Jun Jack Britton New York, NY L D.Q 13
(For World Welterweight Title)
4 Jul Rocky Kansas Michigan City, MI KO8
(Retained World Lightweight Title)
27 Jul Lew Tendler Jersey City, NJ ND12
5 Aug Ever Hammer Michigan City, MI ND10
(Retained World Lightweight Title)
1923
29 May Pinkie Mitchell Chicago, IL KO10
9 Jul Alex Hart Philadelphia, PA ND8
24 Jul Lew Tendler New York, NY W15
(Retained World Lightweight Title)
7 Sep John Mendelsohn Philadelphia, PA ND8
1924
1 Aug Pal Moran Cleveland, OH ND10
1931
6 Oct Pal Silvers Long Island City, NY KO2
27 Oct Vittorio Livan Boston, MA KO3
6 Nov Kayo Casper Burlington, VT D10
23 Nov Buster Brown Baltimore, MD W10
1932
29 Feb Billy McMahon New York, NY W10
11 Apr Buster Brown New York, NY W10
19 Apr Mike Sarko New York, NY KO6
2 May Willie Garafola New York, NY KO4
16 May Marty Goldman New York, NY KO2
23 May Jimmy Abbot Patterson, NJ KO6
8 Jun Andy Saviola New York, NY W10
16 Jun Young Billy Angelo Philadelphia, PA W10
22 Jul Eddie Shapiro New York, NY W8
28 Jul Billy Townsend New York, NY W10
11 Aug Paulie Walker New York, NY W10
19 Aug Mike Sarko New York, NY W6
2 Sep Phil Rafferty Long Beach, NY W6
8 Sep Jimmy Abbot Fort Hamilton, NY KO3
19 Aug Mike Sarko New York, NY W6
7 Oct Jimmy McLarnin New York, NY KO by 6