Benny Leonard Lightweight Champion HOF Boxer Autographed 9" X 11" Photo JSA LOA - $125 - (Oxford, VA)
This is a very nice, later career hand signed photo of Benny Leonard, former World Champion Lightweight boxer considered by many to be among the top ten greatest fighters to ever step foot inside the ring. The Ring Magazine ranked him 8th on their list of "The 80 Bestt Fighters of the Last 80 Years." Additionally, he was ranked 7th on ESPN'S list of "The 50 Greatest Boxers of All-Time" and as the International Boxing Research Orginization's #1 Lightweight and #8 pound-for-pound boxer of all-time. Leonard, a Jewish fighter born in New York City in 1896, was known as "The Ghetto Wizard," and reigned as World Lightweight Champion from 1917 to 1925 when he retired, allegedly because his mother urged him to do so. However, after losing a lot of money during the stock market crash of 1929, he made a comeback in 1931, winning 23 more fights before being beaten via 6th round TKO by future Champion and HOFer Jimmy McLarnin in 1932, finishing his career with a record of 183-24-8 with 70 wins coming via K.O. Leonard later refereed fights, and actually died in the ring during one such fight of a massive heart attack at the age of 51 in 1947. His autographs don't come up for sale very often. This one is on a 9"×11" black and white photo. I have it framed, and I am keeping the frame because my uncle made it. I will, however, be including the matt that I had cut for it. The photo does have some wrinkling from water damage, however, the matt covers this up and it displays beautifully. The autograph is not affected by the staining either. Other that normal wear and tear from age, the photograph is quite nice. It comes with a JSA letter from a Mears auction lot in which they describe the photo and offer an opinion as to its authenticity. They state that a full letter will be issued if the photo is submitted in a certain timeframe (which has since expired). I just framed it with the L.O.A. attached to the back. Since that time, I acquired another older signed photo with a portrait…
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From ebay.com - 1 month ago