Ted (Kid) Lewis - Jack Britton series of fights

1917-05-19 Ted (Kid) Lewis ND10 Jack Britton [Massey Hall, Toronto, Ontario, Canada]

Referee: Walter C. Kelly

Alas, I don't have any local reports for this bout. If anybody had access to Canadian newspaper archives and can provide a report from any Toronto newspaper, I can add it later.

One secondary source gave result as newspaper draw:

1917-05-21 The Buffalo Enquirer (Buffalo, NY) (page 8)
Walter C. Kelly of this city officiated as referee in the Jack Britton-Ted Lewis battle of ten rounds in Toronto last Saturday night. It was the tenth time the two welterweights had faced each other in the roped arena. They put up an exceedingly fast exhibition, with honors practically even. Fully 5,000 persons attended the contest, which was staged in Massey hall, under the auspices of the Sportsmen's Patriotic association. Jimmy Johnston, manager of Ted Lewis, passed through Buffalo yesterday on his way back to New York. He was rather peeved that Ted Lewis had given his end of the purse to the war relief fund of Canada. Lewis is an English Jew. While in this city Jimmy asked about a local engagement between Ted Lewis and Jimmy Duffy. He says Lewis is at his best at present, and would surely take the Lockport welterweight into camp if they ever were matched again.

Score in the series: 5-3-2 in favor of Britton

 

1917-06-06 Ted (Kid) Lewis ND10 Jack Britton (Coliseum, St. Louis, MO, USA)
Newspaper decision for Lewis from John E. Wray (St. Louis Post-Dispatch), Associated Press.

Reports: http://senya13.blogspot.com/2018/06/1917-06-06-ted-kid-lewis-nd10-jack.html

Summary: Lewis and Britton were scheduled to box 12 rounds, with a $1000 guarantee each, plus transportation, but the attendance was worth less than $2000, and there was a very long argument between the managers of the boxers and the president of the club about their purses. Britton finally agreed to $800 guarantee, but Lewis insisted on $1000 and it wasn't until two hours after scheduled time that the bout was begun, and shortened to 10 rounds at that.

This bout was very tame, with Lewis clinching after almost every lead, and Britton seemingly being out of shape and never caring to "wake up" and get to work. Sporting editor of Post-Dispatch gave 9 rounds to Lewis. Sporting writer of the Star didn't care to give any decision at all.

Score in the series: 5-4-2 in favor of Britton

 

1917-06-14 Ted (Kid) Lewis ND10 Jack Britton (St. Nicholas Arena, New York, NY, USA)
Newspaper decision for Lewis from New York Evening Telegram, New York Herald, New York Tribune.
Newspaper decision for Britton from Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
A draw from Robert Edgren (New York Evening World), George B. Underwood (New York Sun), New York Times, Brooklyn Standard Union, Associated Press, International News Service.

Referee: Kid McPartland

Weights: Lewis 144.5, Britton 146.5

Reports: http://senya13.blogspot.com/2018/07/1917-06-14-ted-kid-lewis-nd10-jack.html

Summary: Very fast fight. Lewis was trying to land a knockout punch in the early rounds, also using his left well, jabbing and hooking to the head. Many of the punches missed or were blocked or otherwise neutralized by Britton, though. By mid-rounds Britton started to fight back, aiming nearly all of his punches to the body and gradually slowing Lewis down.

Here's how local newspaper scored the bout, round by round:
Round 1--Tribune+Times even; Eagle+Telegram+Sun for Lewis
Round 2--Tribune+Eagle+Telegram+Times+Sun for Lewis
Round 3--Tribune+Eagle+Telegram+Times+Sun for Lewis
Round 4--Tribune+Eagle+Times for Lewis; Telegram+Sun even
Round 5--Tribune+Eagle+Telegram+Times+Sun for Britton
Round 6--Tribune+Eagle+Telegram+Times+Sun for Britton
Round 7--Tribune+Telegram+Times even; Eagle+Sun for Britton
Round 8--Tribune for Lewis; Eagle+Sun for Britton; Telegram+Times even
Round 9--Tribune for Lewis; Eagle+Telegram+Times for Britton; Sun even
Round 10--Tribune+Telegram+Sun for Lewis; Eagle+Times even

Score in the series: 5-4-3 in favor of Britton