Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-04
Review of the Great Battle Be-
tween Cans and Nelson.
NEGRO NOW THE CHAMPION
Fought Latter Portion of Contest With
a Broken Hand.
NATIONALS ARE HOME TODAY
Races at Sheepshead Bay-American
Yachts Beat Germans-Grand
Circuit Trots-Golf.
NEGRO NOW THE CHAMPION
NATIONALS ARE HOME TODAY

GOLDFIELD New. September 4.-ln
fight that was as uninteresting as 1t was
viciously fought. Battling Nelson lost 10
Joe" Cans yesterday afternoon in the Tor
ty-second round by deliberately fouling the
negro fighter After the tenth round the
contest developed into a holding-on game
with occasional flashes of fast fighting.
Nelson from the very first pursued his
aggressive tactics with head bent low and
right and left trying in vain to reach Cans
head and body. In all the rallies Cans
had much the better of the exchanges,
chopping the face of the Dane with con-
tinual left jabs alternated occasionally with
lightnng-like rights. Before the end OF
the third round Cans had Nelson In distress
and forced the Dane to close quarters. In
which position he used his head against the
negro's chin. in spite of the continual warn
ings of George Siler. the referee.
From every fstic viewpoint 1t WAS as I'M
interesting as 1t was memorable. Cans was
forced to meet the Dane at his own game,
and round after round passed without
decisive incident. In the eighteenth, TWEEN
ty-fourth and thirty second rounds Nelson
delivered blows that were palpably below
the belt but no damage seemed to result
Siler ignored them. In the forty-second
round, however. Nelson struck Cans
vicious upper cut that sent the negro man
Keeling to the floor Without a moments
hesitation Siler disqualified Nelson and de-
clared Cans winner. The decision met the
approval of every present, with the
possible exception of BILLY" Nolan, Mel
sons manager.
Fiercest of All Fights.
In many respects the fight was the ferc-
est in fistic history. The gate receipts were
the largest. with one exception, in all prize
fight annals, amounting to sJ7 coo in round
figures The stake was a fortune such
few champions have contested for, and the
winner is the recognized champion light
weight of the world. Few battles have
been so stubbornly fought and fewer men
of apparently even ability have been
pitted against each other.
OF the termination of the fight George
Siler said: Il repeatedly warned Nelson
against his unfair fighting. and while I
don't believe he was deliberately intent
upon fouling Cans in many instances, he
was unquestionaby guilty of one of the
most apparent and uncalled-for fouls that
have marked the end of a battle. There
was no question In many minds that he de-
hberately struck low, as he making
no Roadway against Cans. While the end
was far from satisfactory, from the true
sportsman's standpoint. there was no other
course for me to pursue"
Larry" Sullivan. Cans financial hacker
here. said: Il am convinced that Nelson's
adviser saw that his man could make no
Roadway against Cans. and instructed him
Just before the beginning of the round to
strike foul blow and save himself from
the disgrace of being knocked out"
Attendance was nearly up to the capacity
or the arena, which contained 5000 seats
The day was perfect one. and the event
was success In every way, except as to
Its unsatisfactory ending.
In the hrst four rounds of the battle
Cans showed superior science. and holding
the Dane at bay with a straight left. he
delivered several right-hand blows that
would have ended the fight with a man not
the equal of Nelson In the matter of with
standing punishment. During the latter
ehd OF the battle 1t looked very much as
though each principal was striving his ut
most TO last until after dark and when the
sudden end came the sun had gone down
ana darkness was fast approaching
Gong Saves Nelson.
In the eighteenth, twenty-sixth and the
thirty-fourth round the gong saved Nelson
and his evident freshness after the minutes
rest was the marvellous feature of the fight
The Dane kept boring in and continually
used his head and shoulders in an effort to
wear out his antagonist. Cans was forced
10 adopt the same tactics and his science
was of little avail. In blocking and saving
himself he proved himself the Danes supe-
rior.
Introductions usual In such contests were
given before the men entered the ring l.,
M. Sullivan, master of ceremonies read
several kilograms at the ringside. among
them being one from John L. Sullivan ex-
pressing his regret at not being able IN at
tend the fight. Another was from Cans
mother. which read: The worlds eyes are
on you. joe Remember the straight look
OF Peter Jackson and bring home the ba-
con-"
Jimmy Britt and Eddie" Hanlon were
introduced and issued the usual challenges
to meet the winner.
Siler was loudly cheered as he left the
ring, as was Cans. who was carried TO his
dressing room Nelson and his seconds
were Kissed as they departed. Nolan Nei.
sons manager. made disconnected state
ment in which he said that Cans mad PROM
side not to claim the decision on a foul.
and yet he jumped at the first opportunity
to make such claim. All Nelson would
say was that Cans was tired and quit.
Cans Broken Hand.
Cans in many ways put up a remarkable
fight. His endurance surprised every one.
His work was the more wonderful when II
is known that in the thirty-third round he
broke the right hand Never after that
did he strike blow with 1t. with the ex-
ception OF a few short-arm Jolts while
clinching. He did all his work with the
left hand. Cans generalship was shown
when he broke the hand. In the thirty
third round he landed a hard right-hand
punch the side of Nelson's face bone
in the hand snapped and Cans stepped back
with an expression of pain He limped
around as though he had hurt a foot and
no one realized that he had injured the
right hand
Cans fought a remarkably clean fight.
He was fair In everything. and twice when
he knocked Nelson down picked him up.
One time, when one OF Cans punches
knocked Nelson through the ropes,
Cans picked him up and helped him
to his feet. As the negro stood
with his hands down waiting for Nelson
to steady himself Nelson gave him a
vicious blow in the stomach. Nelson was
roundly Kissed for this by the crowd.
Although Goldfleld is mining camp, II
is seldom that more orderly crowd at
tends such a contest. There was no dis
turbance of any kind and no rough Ian
guage used.
Cans was the favorite with the crowd
His behavior won the admiration of the
Goldheld people and they showed 1t. The
Goldfeld Athletic Club arrangements were
perfect. There was not a hitch of any
kind, and the fight could be seen from any
part of the arena. About two hundred
women were present.
Cans Statement.
1T won the fight, / think. fairly and
squarely. There can be no question that
would have put the Dane out In another