The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-19
Some of the Reasons Why Brit
Is the FavOrite
In the Betting Over Battling
Nelson at San Francisco.
JIMMY HAD LONG REST.
Both Men Are Confident of VIC
tory However.
The Chicago Lad Is the Harder
Puncher of the Pair.

Chicago, Dec. 19.-The eyes of the
pugilistic world will be turned toward
San Francisco Tuesday night, where
Battling Nelson, the once despised but
the present pride of Chicago, and Jim
my Britt, will decide their respective
pugilistic abilities under the auspices of
the Yosemite club of that city The bat
tie is causing an unusual amount of in
terest because of Nelson's clean-cut and
decisive victories over Spider WEIGH,
Martin Candle, Aurelia Herrera, Eddie
bett, and Britt's excellent showing
against Lightweight Champion Joe
Cans. Jimmy, it will be remembered
lost to Cans on what was and still is
considered an intentional foul, but as
there has been no direct and convincing
evidence submitted that the foul was
other than accidental and that it was
case of hOtheadedneSS on the part of
Britt, the latter must be entitled to the
benefit of the doubt. The battle how
ever, has no bearing on Tuesday nights
contest other than to demonstrate Jim
my'S abilities as an Al fighter 1t must
be admitted that Britt had by far the
better of that BEETLE up to its unfortu-
nate ending, and that Jimmy surprised
his most ardent admirers by his per-
Torrance. 1t was his showing against
the redOubtable Cans more than any
thing else he has shown during his ring
career that makes him the favorite in
the coming contest, as he certainly is
not entitled to the call in the betting
on his fights with Corbett and Candle
as compared with Nelson with the same
men. Corbett and Candle went 20
rounds and % rounds respectively with
Jimmy while Nelson stopped Corbett in
less than ten rounds and made Candle
cry enough in 10 rounds, performances
that oVershadow Britt'S enough to make
Nelson, however, is accustomed to be-
ing the under dog in the pools and he
would probably be at a loss as to how
to fight as a betting favorite. He was
the deSpiSed outsider in all of his coast
battles, and now that he is going to
hook up with the supposedly best man
that he has ever met it is but natural
he should play fiddle in the pool box to
him.
Where fighting qualifications are as
equal as they are considered to be in
the case of Britt and Nelson many per-
sons are wondering which particular
talent will play the most important in
determining the result. The form STU
dents of the pugilistic game here have
about come to the conclusion that Mel
sons one advantage over Britt is in
being able to strike harder blow, and
as they are equally ready to admit that
Britt has a better defense than Nelson
the argument swings back to the orig
inal contention: 'It is a hard fight to
pick" There never was a contest prob
ably in which clever analysis of the at
tributes of two prospective opponents
was made. So far as pluck or fighting
instinct is concerned there was never an
better equipped for trouble than the
other. There have been discussions,
however, as to which of the light
weights is the more likely to lose his
head if the contest proves to be par
furious and exciting.
A notable thing about the Britt-Nel-
son situation is the pride which each of
the boxers feels in his physical strength.
Nelson, to begin with, always did judge
opponents from the stand
point of avoirdupois. He has a stand
ing objection to negroes as ring fellows.
but the only stipulation he makes in
regard to pale-face fighters is that they
meet him at the weight he likes best.
His favorite mark is 100 pounds. He
has stretched the limit a couple of
pounds to accommodate Jimmy Britt,
and at either notch he believes there is
no more effective human fighting ma
chine in the world than himself. Cham
pions and ex-champions, precocious
novices and seasoned war horses are
all one to Nelson.
ct don't care what they look like or
what reputation they have SO long as
they make the weight is the way
Bat puts it. Nothing short of de-
cisive defeat will convince Nelson that
ne isn't the original 132-pound pack
age.
Similar feelings possess Britt. He
said the other day that if fighting
IlOlLlHS 10 d HAL Dul the sat-
isfaction of winning he would be will
ing to test his mettle in private with
the best 132-pound man that could be
produced.
''I may be wrong. but think I am
the undisputed champion at that
notch,' said Jimmy. 81 have fought
above and below that figure, and I
have discovered that when Jimmy
Britt scales 1872 pounds it is 1872
pounds of fighting force
Feeling that way about it, there