It’s a chilly night time in New York Metropolis however Benny Leonard and Richie Mitchell present greater than a bit warmth with one of many biggest opening rounds in boxing historical past. It’s a rematch after their first bout again in 1917 noticed Leonard cease his man within the seventh spherical, and most predict one other exhibition of “The Ghetto Wizard’s” pugilistic greatness. And people expectations could be fulfilled however not earlier than Leonard’s followers received the shock of their lives.
Since that first conflict, Mitchell had notched some thirty wins whereas shedding solely as soon as, dropping a newspaper determination to the nice Lew Tendler; Benny had been on an much more spectacular tear with victories over Johnny Kilbane, Jack Britton, Willie Ritchie and Johnny Dundee.
Naturally the intelligent Leonard was feeling very assured and when well-known racketeer and gambler Arnold Rothstein instructed Benny simply earlier than the opening bell that he had wagered $25 000 on the champion scoring a primary spherical knockout, Leonard agreed to oblige, particularly since Rothstein promised the sensible pugilist a bit of the motion. Brandishing his deadly proper hand, the champion walked to ring centre searching for a fast KO and fewer than a minute in it appeared he would get it as he feinted after which drove residence a proper that put Mitchell on the canvas.
The challenger rose on unsteady pins on the depend of 9 and promptly clung to Leonard like a drowning man to a life preserver however the champion disentangled himself after which decked Mitchell once more, this time with a left hook. When the courageous challenger beat the depend a second time, Leonard moved in to land a one-two to the chin that put Mitchell down but once more. At ringside, Arnold Rothstein had a broad smile on his face.
However the referee didn’t cease the battle and the gutsy Irishman rose up a 3rd time. There was a minute left within the spherical and Leonard was a bit arm weary and out of the blue, out of nowhere, Mitchell is throwing leather-based. As the group roars, the challenger fees, ultimately getting in a left to the physique adopted by a shattering proper to the jaw and out of the blue everybody in Madison Sq. Backyard is standing besides the nice Benny Leonard.
Rothstein stares open-mouthed, disbelieving. The group goes loopy and the partitions of the Backyard are shaking. On the depend of seven a dazed Leonard climbs to his toes, blood trickling from his mouth, his eyes glassed over. The individuals in his nook are leaping up and down, shouting, “Field! Field!” and the Jewish hero nods his head, however then does essentially the most confounding factor: he stands flat-footed, scowls at Mitchell and beckons to him with each fingers to come back and battle.
The gesture shocked everybody, together with Mitchell who, as a substitute of springing to the assault to attempt to batter mindless an already harm opponent, feared a entice and warily saved his distance. The seconds ticked away as each males held their floor, ending some of the thrilling first rounds in boxing historical past, and marking a uncommon loss for the wily Rothstein.
Again in his nook, Leonard rapidly recovered, telling his handlers he was high-quality. He went on to outbox and punish Mitchell for the following 5 rounds, flooring him 4 extra occasions earlier than the one-sided drubbing was halted in spherical six. The end result was not shocking, however that opening stanza was a thriller, some of the thrilling rounds in Backyard historical past and some of the memorable in Benny Leonard’s wonderful profession. — Robert Portis
