The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-18
Britt and Nelson, Ready for the
Fray Declare They Are
Very Good Friends.
WILL BE VERY CLOSE.
Nelson Can Hit Harder, But
Britt Has Better Defense.
Ringsidc Arguments.
(BY WV. NAUGHroN.

Especial to Tho Times-Dispatcl1.)
Il SAN ENTa4ANsCIsCO, December ia no
table thing about the Drtt-Nclson situn-
ton is the pride which each Of the boxers
feels in !. his physical strength Nelson,
to beginp with, always did judge pros
pectivo opponents from tho viewpoint Of
avoirdupos. He has standing objection
to negroes as ring fellows but the only
stipulation he makes in regard to pale
face fighters is that they meet him at tho
weight lie likes best.
Els favorltc mark Is 1870 pounds. He
has stretched the limit q couple OF pounds
TO accommodate Jimmy Britt, md at
either notchihe believes there Is no more
effective human fighting machine in tho
world than himself. Champions and ex-
MISREPRESENTATION novices and sea-
soncd war horses are all one to Nelson.
IT don't caro- what they look like or.
what reputation they have, so long as
they make the weight" is the way ''13a t.
puts it. 81 Nothing short OF decisive de-
feat will convince Nelson that he isn't
the original 1872 pound package. n
What Britt Claims.
+ Similar feelings possess Britt. He said
the other dnyathat IL fighting brought no
thing to a man bit the satisfaction Of
winning, ho would be willing TO test his
mettle in private 18th the best 132 pound.
man that could be produced & -
II Il may be wrong, but II think ! am the
lundsputeds champion at that notch, = said
Jimmy II have fought above and below
that figure, andFI have discovered that
Jimmy Britt scales 49, pounds, it is 1S2
mounds ofsfip11tfnxrl force Z, rs 5ssG
Feeling that way about 1t. there does
not seem to be any loopholc for the loser.
to avail himself 6f when trying to explain
away defeat.
Nelson a Wiry Chap.
Nelson In all his fights has shown
himself to be a wiry fellow. Looking
back 1t seems as though he never made
n bad match so far as weight was con-
,cerncd Britt on the other hand. has
been all but caught Mapping. When he
boxed Young Corbett at 11) pounds,
he was a scra ggys looking sight. His hip-s
bones were as shnrp as plouglishares, and
,hca was ribby5 and sllinnyof neck.
The, difference IN appearance between
Britt at 1872 pounds and Britt at
$50 is so remarkable that 1t ex-.
cites Nwonderment.t At heflatter figure
the native eGson,is aas scarecrow.4i.At the
and he is moreover rs full Of: life
and action as aul'eegg Is full Of meat.
q The explanation is simple and at the
SAME time. interestp 90 When Britt had,
to make $50 pounds, there was Eceaselessi
worry as to whether he would get to that
notch. In order to befsure he went as
low as 125 n day or 50 before the contest
The effort barred his ribs until they could
he counted, and made spindes Of Il his
legs. !. Ts559s rs s5si
Is These evidences. Of attenuation were visa
ible when he went into the ring, and in;
addition there was q lack OF vitality. and
the carcworn expression that drastic
methods of reducing had produced
Fighters often talk Of the llnrdships
that are endured in removing ''thc last
pound" Britt had all these experiences
while making $780, and he has none o.
them in dropping to 1872 He reaches that
weight naturally by good heathful work,
tapering off with a days drying out. He
looks a six pounds heavier man atJleast5
ut 1872 than he does at $780, and his is GER
tainly that much better as n fighter.
Are Closely Matched.
Where fighting qua llficntions are rs
equal as they arc considered to be in the
case OF Britt and Nelson, many persons
are wondering which particular talent
Will pi4S Lic IiOsL tlilik'oLtt| PEI LII dS'
the result. The fo-nl students
OF the puglistic game have about come
to the conclusion that NELSON'S one adj
vantage 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. tho argument
swings back to the original contention
lit is n hard fight to pick There never
was q contest. probably In which closer
a n nj ne ~ nft ,th1 f1f. 4 W
pcctivc opponents was made. SO far rs
pluck or fighting instinct is concerned,
there was never an attempt totihold that
either man was bettlar equipped for trou-
bic than the other. There have been dis
cusslons, however, as to which az the
liglltwcghts Is the more likely to- lose
his head II tine contest proves 10 be par
tlcularlM furious and eNcltIng. q
The unfortunate mistake made by Britt
in his affair Will Cans iscltcd AZ evidence
that the native son cannot always be de-
pended upon in trying moments WINE
those who take the Britt end Of tho ar
gument shy tllcrc Is mora danger Of Mel
son being pcnal!zed for ting Britt
than there is of Britt fonling the Dane
K These are extreme views, Of course,
and they serve TO show to what strai IS
sports OF opposite opinionsarc put to iind
something to spitt hairs about
So far as Britt's recent 5saS hibition Or
sfouing is concerned. II may be said that
8thereis not the bnd blood there between
Britt and Nelson that there was between
Britt and Gana, aud therefore less pros
tpect Of an nnsporismanllke happenin rs, l "a
britt and Nelson profess the greatest
admiration for each other.and assert mat
the only issue hetween them Is tn, out
come of healthy rivalry. There rs iittles
fear Of amy lnclivnlrous work when ! hey
clash. and rs ench Of them cons ders NM "a
self the equivalent Of his Weigh IN WIG
cats when'lnttlinsnt tho3122 pound notch
the sports arc PROMISED Immunity from
that tiire-honored excite, = WeaRcilseu
myself making ihe weight X
NEW STAKE AT BRIGHTON.
Take Place of,Test Handicap and
VIII be Run on Opening Day.