The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-13
McGOvern and Nelson Ready for
the Battle of Their Lives.
Philadelphia Fight One of Most
Important Of the Year.
WEDNESDAY EVENING.
Bout Scheduled for Six Cyclone
Rounds of Is Minutes.
Advantage in Length of Time
Is Conceded to Terry.

Chicago, March 13.-The question of
Battling Nelson's ability to fight six
rounds in championship style and Terry
McGovern's stamina to battle through
the same number of rounds as cyclonic
as in the days Of yore viii be answered
on Wednesday night when the pair
hook up at Philadelphia. The contest,
limited as it is to only IS minutes of
fighting, is causing more interest than
has any contest in the east since the
days of the Horton law. In the good
old Horton days a. six-round affair,
even between men of Nelson's and Nc
Governs caliber, would hardly receive
mention, but with the game practically
dead in the Empire state. the contest
is being played up like a heavyweight
championship fight with the distance
pole set at the twenty-five round mark.
Which demonstrates that the 'coves
wot loves q. mill consider that a crust
Of bread in hands is better than an I'M
baked loaf IN the oven. The bout, des-
pite It's being only a six-round exercise,
carries with it more Importance than
contests generally set at its limit, as
the future Of the contestants depends
upon its outcome. Nelson, at the pres
ent writing, occupies an exalted posi-
ton in pugilfsIn, and he had a siren
uOus time securing that position. Nc
Govern, on the other hand, has, prac-
tica1ly, been down and out for some
time, but his hurricane defeats Of Ed
die Hanlon and Tommy Murphy Incl
cate he Is not in the has BEEN class.
In fact he demonstrated in those con-
tests that he has not lost his speed nor
his Wallop, but as he finished his oppo-
nents well within the limit set his ad-
I mirers have doubts as to his ability
/ to retain his speed for Is minutes,
/ should 1t be required. In Nelson he
1 Will stack up against an opponent who
/ can take q world of punishment with
out hinching and still possess the punch
and the stamina to bring a contest to
a close after being the receiver general.
4 Terry, probably, carries the heavier
and speedier guns. essential equipments
1 for an affair Of its kind. He will, how
ever, learn when diScEarging them that
! his opponent Is well fortified to receive
his deliveries, and that he will also en-
ter into the fray with guns and ammu-
milton almost as powerful as his own.
In the matter of rapid fire deliveries
the little fastener, undoubtedly, out
classes the rangy and Well-seasoned
westerner, and speed, combined with
force, Is apt to dismantIe the strongest
/ fortthcations. There viii be no maneu-
vering such as feeling out" an oppon-
ent, fefnting for openings or Sparring
| for wind: It will be all actiOnefrom the
moment they hit the center of the ring
until one Of them has taken the count
/ or until the six rounds have expired.
It is generally conceded that Terry
/ will fire the first gun, and the moment
1 he does Nelson will unload, then VIII
/ follow a continuous performance OF all
/ kinds of Wallops. There will be no
/ keeping tab on the deliveries as their
| gloved mitts will travel through the
/ atmosphere like bullets from score OF
! repeating WincheSters. It will be
/ case of slam, bang, hit or miss from
/ gong to gong, and the man with the
ste fr7o 4 51c
/ apparatus, barring a knockout should
/ win. There really is no predicting the
winner; still, judging by the abilities
/ Of the contestants as six round scrap
] pers, Terry appears to have the shade.
] He had the reputation of being the
/ best short distance battler and the
| quickest hnisher in the business, while
/ Nelson's forte, heretofore, has been to
beat a man down by degrees and COM
pei them to take the count from ex-
/ haustion assisted, of course, with a
/ bunch of Wallops. He has not as YET,
demonstrated his ability to finish
man in short order, as his six-round
tits in Philadelphia and at Baltimore
attest. McGovern, however, has dem
| Onstrated beyond cavn that rev can
1 Withstand his cyclonic method or mill
ing for six rounds, and it remains to
be seen how Nelson will conduct him
| self against an adversary who viii
/ force the issue loaded to the muzzle
/ with rapid-f1ring deliveries. Not only
and the ability to land it.
There viii be no discount on their
condition as they have worked like
/ beavers to get in as fine a fett1e as pos
| sibie. IN the matter of confidence
| there is no choice. as both are positive
they will win with a knockout. This,
coming from Nelson, appears strange,
considering his record as a siX-round
performer. He recently said he does
not wish to pose as a braggart. but h e
honestly believes h e Will send Terry to
the cleaners before the end of the
sixth session. He says it VIII be a hot
mixing affair right from the outset and
that he is equally as good as Terry at
short range milling. Also that h be-
lieves he can hit as hard as can any
man of his weight in the business, and
the only reason he has not made a sue
cess at the six-round game is because
he received a Wall0p In a mixup that
almost put him out, after which he
concluded to beat his men by easy
stages In this event, however. he viii
try to forget that knockdown wallop
and try to repeat Young COrbett's
Hartford. Conn. trick-that is. to win
as quickly as possible.
From the McGovern training camp
comes the report that the little hurri-
cane scrapper was never better. That
he Is hitting harder and is fighting
faster than when in his prime and that
his adherents believe. is good enough
to land him a winner The contest is
being advertised as lightweight
championship affair. and the McGovern
contingent say they win claim the title
should their boy win. No champion
ship title hinges on the battle other
than, perhaps. the maverick title OF
boss Of the 130-pound class, IS Joe
Cans will have to be deposed before
others can contest for the title which
he holds. There will be honor. glory
and money for Terry should he come
out on top, and it would not injure his
reputation to any great extent should
he lose. A victory for Nelson viii add
quite a bit to his reputation. while a
defeat viii give him a severe setback
Should the fight go the limit after ter
rife doings GcGovern will receive The
honors because it was thought he haC
has fs@44