leonard had only lost 3 times in 195 fights when this no-decision fight took place...southpaws, to the best of my knowledge, were converted to orthodox in their training, so were rare...and this performance by tendler, from what i read, is what made southpaws more acceptable... in the 8th round tendler knocked two of leonards front teeth out. they had a rematch a year later but leonard had trained very hard for the southpaw stance and handled him easier. i have read some call tendler the greatest southpaw ever, and one of the best boxers never to win a world title. anyhoo...this is the beauty of youtube...being able to load up a piece of magical boxing history like this instantly.. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfQwLykgKGE[/ame]
I maintain that Benny Leonard deserves a place as the #5 all time. You could realistically rate him #1, infact - he was pissing over competition left right and centre, and a very good division at that. For years he was near unbeatable, and he has one of the greatest records to prove it.
I must've seen this video 50 times never gets old. But was Leonard not overshadowed by Greb? Lew Tendler certainly an underrated fighter
If your a fan of Ben the best reading possible IMHO is the Manny Seamon chapter in Ronald Frieds book Cornermen.
I have "The Great" Benny Leonard at #1 basically for the reasons you stated. I don' think anyone was better against better competition than Benny Leonard.
The Great Bennah is the greatest boxer type fighter of all time imo, he embodies everything about that style of boxing.
I read Ron Frieds book years ago, but will check out the benny Leonard piece once more...I have the biography "Leonard The Magnificent", by Nat Fleischer...It was said of Leonard, that he could have named the round with most of his opponents, but didnt ko them for fear of scaring off future opponents...He was the lightweight edition of Ray Robinson of later years... At 5ft.5" Leonard didnot have Ray's height advantage over his opponents. Too bad we don't have film of any of Benny Leonard's 69 KO's...Just film of he and the great southpaw Lew Tendler, who would have been a handful for Ray Robinson,,,Tendler was far superior to Marty Servo, who twice gave Robby two tough disputed bouts...
