Show Willie Ritchie Tell Why lie He Is i Leonard I SAN FRANCISCO Feb 17 I 1 I I hemmed and hawed and and I hesitated said Willie Ritchie explaining why he I I had be been n induced to tight fight Benny Leon Leon- ard I Then the thought struck me he I said that I had been pretty well advertised advertised adver- adver as a champion and this bout Is ls going to lo show whether Im I'm a real fighter or not nol I would not nol reenter the ring except against a a. real champion and that's thal's what whal Benny Leonard Is 13 Theres a lot of soldiers up at Camp Lewis and in other camps who have come to regard Willie Ritchie as a a. regular regular regular reg reg- ular fighter It is going to be up to me stacking myself up against a real champion champl to to n-to to show that I 1 honestly won the right to wear the belt and to put on my uniform as an expert in the game of boxing The only thing about this battle that will vIII give the people a chance to shake their heads is the weight On this score let me say that sized up as we walk wall along the street streel attired in our regular togs Benny and myself would look to tobe tobe tobe be of about the same stature and pound- pound ape age Maybe when we get gel in the ring Ill I'll have a few pounds of ot advantage Billy y Gibson o who hi is Bennys Benny's Js manager i and B Benny himself lm have v made this match malch with their eyes wide open They have made the match malch in a sportsmanlike way Gibson believes and Leonard also be believes believes be- be that Leonard has no reason to worry about aboul a few pounds When we hop Into Inlo the ring It il practically will be a case of man meeting man upon fairly even terms Leonards record shows he has always been a per cent fighter tighter Its It's up to tome tome tome me to show to the sporting world and to lo lomy tomy tomy my friends In khaki that Willie Ritchie comes pretty close to lo being a per percent cent ent guy |