The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-30
Battling Nelson Tells Of the
Mexican's Career.
lie Can Punch Harder Than
Any of the Lightweights.
IS ALWAYS DANGEROUS
The Dane Thinks His Chances
Are of the Best.
Younger Than AureliO and
Drinks Less Whisky.

rev oTE, March 80.-Battllng
Nelson and his manager. Billy Nolan,
have left here for New Orleans, where
| Nelson is to box at one Of the theaters
Nelson had a heavy cold and he had
his throat carefully wrapped up.
What do you think of the coming
fight with Herrera2" the Battler was
asked before leaving.
Nelson smiled and then launched
forth and told OF his experiences with
Herrera.
7 have known Herrera for over
/ two years" said Nelson 'fVVhen I
first met him I was a preliminary
fighter around Chicago and 1Iilwau-
/ kee. In fact, went anywhere I
4 thought I could get a scrap Some
/ how or other they did not think we'll
! enough Of me to put me IN a star bout,
offered.
''At that time s25 for a preliminary
bout was considered big money by me.
When I was not fighting I had to
/ hustle hard to make both ends meet
and I was often engaged BY better
i known fighters that took part in main
/ events Among these men were
Tommy Ryan. Jack Root, Benny
/ Yanger, Aurelio Herrera and other
well known stars of the ring. They
always engaged me because they knew
/ that 1 would give them a good work
out and would never complain about
getting handled too roughly. You can
| bet that 7 took many a hard punch
during my apprenticeship.
Il remember we'll one afternoon
while Ryan and were boxing IN the
| gymnasium he foored me three or
four times. That same day he showed
y me one or two tricks that have been
OF great benefit to me during my
career in the ring. And I must GER
!. tafnly say that Ryan knows the fight
ing game.
Herrera came to Chicago about
this time and engaged me as his spar
ring partner. After boxing with him
for a week he turned loose on me one
afternoon and we both mixed it in
} good style. In fact, we went as hard
: as we could. I took several pretty
hard punches, but at the end of the
four rounds Herrera was more willing
to stop than I was.
when the fight was over I felt
cock-sure that I had his number I
felt that I would be a certain victor
over him at any distance. Herrera
won the fight I helped to prepare him
: for, and then [ tried my best to get
on real fight with him. But I had
! no manager or press agent to extol
me to the skies, and my efforts were
: laughed at by the matchmakers.
was not discouraged, so / kept right
I after the Mexican until finally to my
great joy 1 was matched to fight in
Butte, Mont, on September 5 The
fight was scheduled for twenty rounds
and 1t went the distance.
II want to give all the credit to the
Mexican that is coming to him. He gave
me a tough fight. But I gave him an aw-
: full beating, and at the finish the referee
promptly awarded me the decision. In the
fourth round Herrera foored me good
and hard but before the bell sounded for
! that round I had him very groggy and he
was glad to get to his corner. This fight
was Conducted by Billy Nolan, my pres
I ent manager as he handled all the big
contests in Montana.
Herrera is the candy kid when il
comes to punching. And he can slip one
that will shake a fellow from head to foot
! His left hand won't do any great damage
but if the right one connects with tbs
right place it is curtains for his opponent
I can truthfully saw that he can puncf
harder than any lightweight in the ring
barring none and have faced about al
the best men in this class,
81 know Herrera likes his whisky anC
strong cigars (the stronger the betterl
but when he gets into a ring he is always
dangerous and YOU have to keep YOU
: eyes open for his sleep producer.
NOW as to my opinion as to whether
I can beat him in our coming fight. all
have to say Is that whipped him when
was his sparring partner gave him ar
} am equally confident that will again gel
the better of him. / have improved since
our Butte engageTn emt. while he certainly
I has not. should say he IS about thF
dence in himself. I am seven or eighi
: years his junior, and I have not dissipat tee
as he has. 7 feel safe IN predicting t.
Q my friends that viii be returned tbs
4 How long It win go 7 do not know
n but you can depend on it that / will TIL
4 to end the fight quickly as possible
q But don't think for minute that I eXpee
y