Benny Leonard (April 7, 1896 – April 18, 1947) is considered one of the greats in the history of professional boxing. The world lightweight champion from 1917 to 1925, Leonard was named number eight on The Ring magazine’s list “80 Best Fighters of the last 80 Years,” and seventh in ESPN’s “50 Greatest Boxers of All-Time.” Years after he retired from the sport, Leonard collapsed and died in the ring — ironically, while he was serving as referee in a pro boxing match.
Quote: “The most vivid memory of Benny is that it was difficult to ever believe that he was a prizefighter. He was as gentle as a lamb. He never thought of himself as anything other than a Jewish uncle. He could tell the jokes, he could put his arm around you, he could cry at funerals. He was just a decent human being, which was untypical of the profession he was in.” — filmmaker Bud Greenspan
Sources: Wikipedia
Learn more about Benny Leonard on Wikipedia. >>
Watch “Commander of the Ring,” a video about Benny Leonard [9:13].
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Photo: wbur.org
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