Show LEONARD RETIRES FROM ACTIVE BOXING CAREER Mw rw YORK Jan tiP 16 16 W T Teh Twelve eh e years ago Benjamin Leiner to take the place of a defaulting box boxer r In the Bronx Last night nl ho i Ired ired from the tho ring here he hp I is Ic kno knon known n a as Benny Henny Leonard a as the lightweight cham cham- cham- cham champton champion pion of the world In a statement announcing his retirement Leonard declared that lie hp was aa as actuated by hy the wishes ot of othi hi his mother Always opposed to hi hIs hl fighting Leonard cud ld his hi mother her plea piCA that he quit the therin ring and the condition of ot her health made It 11 that h hb accede to her st wishes Ishee After a A s tam tam- famIly fam family ily fly council It was decided that he retire permanently Leonard who h his s 's not been e eIn In the ring since 1923 has ha held his present Ulle for tor nearl seven r years ars After fighting his wa 0 through the ranks rank tot toi five ea following his first a appearance hi he h faced on May 23 1917 Freddie Welsh of Great Grent Britain tea few months previously pre the champion V Vad I-ad made Leon Leon- Leonard Leon Leonard ard appear amateurish and Leon Leonard ard had elsh W eleb In a battle This was tas a the de e e con con- con contest test tet For eight rounds rounda Welsh kept lpt hi head well covered cred but In the ninth Leonard sent his bli right to a point 1 the i q left car er Wel h staggered daggered but guard guard- guarded guarded guarded ed In his excellent st Sl stile le Ie Driven to a corner the British er Cr wan M as forced to lower his hands hand an and l a stinging slinging left sent ent him Ing log Ing Too weak to ral raise hI his arms th t had protected his hla crown cronn cro n since Ince he n won on It from Willie WIlIIe he was as powerless pO before a terrific of- of offensive of offensive and Benny Leonard name ome Into fame tame T Kid FId Levigne captured the tho orld title from Dick Burg forge Burge EnglIsh ham pion and brought it to Amer Amer- AmerIca America ica lea In 1896 It soon became the propertY of Ad Wolgast who isho later Inter boa bo ed ad to 10 V illie RItchie made the mistake of going to Lag Lag- Und nd Io to tight fight V Welsh elsh and lost After Atter winning Inning the title more than seven sears ars ago Leonard ronard met all comers corners And defeated them Nine Nino times he encountered the recently retired champion ham pion Of ot the feather feather- leather Johnny Dundee and 1 sever several ever ever- everal everal al dos lose loee battles I After he became he knocked out Johnny Ion l on Johnny Young R Leo Johnson Johnon Young 11 Bane n Gene Delmont Chick lIro lIron n Joe Malone Jimmy Duff Mel lel Coogan lay Chat White lle I ankle i Britt Eddie Kelly Joe Welling elling Mitchell Rocky Kansas hona and Pinky Mitchell e lIEd I He lost lot to Jack Br ton In the round of o j t New ew York bout boutIn boutin boutIn In 1922 on a foul the referee rut rut- rul ruling ing that BuRton Billion hail had been ben truck struck hll hil off oft his hla feet ay back In the day days when hen he was starting starling hIs hia climb Leonard n yes knocked kei out i bi Joe and l Fleming l In recent month months the retired ham champion pion has haft his hla acI l I- I ties to tu the he stage and su au can en and Is about to 10 start tart on a long tong tile engagement Illness overtook o him at a ew ew eric theatre recently and he 1 ns s he retired to the Ings after he haul had finished hi his act lie lieI lieIs HeIs I Is not oot fully full reco recovered er ered 1 from front the attack I 1 he last lat sear vear of I r eonard conard q reign brought only negotiations Ith Micke Walker ii eight champion a us the prospective 01 op opponent Twice T scheduled the Lout bout never was as as realized as lIa the light light- lightweight lightweight weight light weight chaplon an In- In in In jut ed thumb In a victorious bout out lIh Pal Moran In Cleveland fland dur- dur dur during ing the he summer and was ties unable to appear a Last at November Leonard Issued a challenge to all III ht h could piove- piove their right to contend I for the title and Duty Gibson his hi manager explained that the cham- cham chant cham champions plon pion II a could be lal laid l to the d dearth of suitable s opponents |