The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-04
CANS WINS IN LONG BATTLE.
NELSON FOULS OPPONENT IN
FORTY-SECOND ROUND.
COlOred Fighter Furnishes Dane severely
and Nelson shows Rough II Tactics
All Through MIn-BiE Crowd Sees
Contest for the Lightweight Title.

0OLDF1ELD, New, sept. 3.-JoSepn Sanb
Of Baltimore, the well known oolored
pugilist, is still the lightweight champion
Of the world. After forty-two rounds OF
fighting with Battling Nelson, the rugged
Dane, here to-day Cans received the deci-
sion Of Referee George Siler Of Chicago
On q foul.
All through the mill Nelson violated tho
rules by butting with his head, for which he
was repeatedly warned; but In the last
round, when he evidently realized that he
was up against it for the first time in his
ring career, the Battler hit his antagonist
below the belt in such a manner that Cans
fell to the floor in agony. The blow was
clearly seen by nearly all those who were
at the ringside, and not a protest was heard
when the referees ruling was made.
More than 1000 persons saw the mill,
which was scheduled to go to a finish, and
the gate receipts amounted to nearly $780,
600, as $40, 900 had been taken in before II
o'clock this morning. Followers Of pugilism
came to this mining lamp from all over
the West and when the mill began excite
ment ran high. Cans was the favorite at
10 to 7 and thousands of dollars in bank
notes and gold dust were wagered on him..
Having been compelled to make all sorts
Of concessions, including a number of un-
reasonable ones imposed by Nelson's mana
ger, Billy Nolan, in order to clinch the
match, Cans had a host of followers who
rooted for him, tooth and nail. Nolan
was inclined to make trouble up to the last
moment, but Cans filed every obligation
and then entered the ring to find that the
Dane had made up his mind to win by fair
means or by foul.
The men fought for the lightweight
championship of the world, which both
have been claiming persistently. Cans
has held the title ever since he whipped
Frank Erne in New York several years ago,
but Nelson, because of his victories over
Jimmy Britt, Eddie Hanlon, Terry Meow
ern and others in his class, has repeatedly
heralded himself as the champion. Nelson
would not agree to fight Cans for some
time, because he said no drew the color
line, but public opinion finally forced him
into the match that was decided so unsatis-
f~actorily here this afternoon.
Cans nae to weigh in three times to
satisfy the demands of Nolan. He first
scaled at 1851 pounds with his street clothes
on. Then he scaled at 1917 stripped to
the buff, and just before the mill started
be weighed under the 1873 pound limit with
his fighting toys on. Nelson weighed
about 1871. Both men looked well and
strong when they tipped the beam. They
battled for a $50, 900 purse, Of which Nelson
received 500 900, win or lose.
The fight was to a finish, Q~ueensberry
rules, with George Siler referee. The ring
was eighteen feet square with padded ropes
and floor. Each man posted 5000 forfeit
to make the weight, with an additional
8 5000 forfeit for each pound over the light
weight limit. The seconds for Cans we're
Kid Simms, Frank Mcdonald, Bob Turner
and Ben Selig. Nelson's handlers were
Billy Nolan, Tim McGrath, Young Kid
Mccoy and Johnny Reid. The men were in
the ring at 3 o'clock.
Whon tho mill - arfa1 Tho G0bfara lOnkaJ
evenly matched. Cans quickly showed
that he was Nelson's master in the sCien-
tific points Of the game, and for the first thine
rounds be outboxcd and outfought the
Dane in a manner that made him look a sure
inner
In the eleventh round Nelson began his
rough house tactics and Cans made a pro-
test to the referee. In the twelfth round
Nelson butted Cans over the eye with his
head. The referee warned the Dane in the
fifteenth for butting, and a protest Of foul
was made, but not allowed. Nelson was
knocked down in this round. In the seven
tenth, eighteenth, nineteenth, twentieth
and twenty-third Nelson was warned for
his boring in tactics. In the last named
round Nelson fought Cans to a standstill.
Then Cans recovered slowly and in the
twenty-eighth round Nelson was gToRgy,
but rallied Just as the bell sounded
Nelson was warned again in the twentieth
and also hit Cans after the bell had rung.
The Dane was Keeling at the end of the
bnlTLy-teCOnu TOuHu anu was punCneu
all over the ring in the thirty-third, his
face being cut to ribbons by Gans's quick
jabbing. After that the battle became
tame, the men being tired and wrestling
constantly.
There was another warning for Nelson
in the thirty-seventh, after which there
was nothing sensational until the battle
ended in the forty-second. The end came
Unexpectedly, and the crowd had settled
back, prepared to see the men fight into
darkness. After the mill both Nelson and
Nolan came in for a severe scoring. Cans
was complimented on all sides for his clever
work. On points he had the fight by a big
margin.
Both men were cut up considerably.
Nelson's eyes were badly bruised and one
of them was completely closed. Gans's
mouth and nose were swollen and his rib
were very sore because of the butJlny to
which he was constantly subjected.
Il GAns was the aESressOr when the fight
began, He forced matters by driving home
straight jabs to the face and neck which
brou ght a clinch. When they broke Nelson
swung wildly, a stepping aside and
then going back for a series of hard jOlts
to the mouth and ear, Nelson was outboxed
and outfought at every angle and did not
and an effective blow. He was bleeding
from one of his ears when he took his cor
2 ner. Cans had a pronounced advantage
and seemed cool and confident.
III Nelson began the second round with a
couple Of swings that were blocked. Then
SdlLS uBECICub MN lClNVAJ III JIG IlOuJh
as the Dane came in head down. The negro
followed this up with a couple of terrific
wallops that landed flush on the jaw, but
the Battler did not seem to mind the blows
and continued to bore in. Cans hammered
him with left and right on the neck and in
the body, at the same time protecting him
self in superb style, but the rugged Dane
was coming all the time, and seemed as
strong as a bull. Jams had this round,
too, his science being far superior to that
Of his antagonist.
Again in the third round Cans landed
nearly all the blows. Nelson kept boring in
only TO receive all kinds Of blows on the head,
neck and body. In spite Of the terrific pun
ishment the white man finished strong; but
he was clearly puzzled, and his wild swings
showed that he was up against a wonder
fully clever pugilist. Nelson's nose was
bleeding when the gong sounded.
As the fourth round began Nelson rushed
with head down. Cans stepped back nim-
bly,, but Nelson chased him around the ring
and, finally cornering the negro, he landed a
R.--Rhla annnah nm Nha 1tIa - Tho hanI