The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-03

out after him, lavish IN their express
sions of confidence. In his rooms after
his rundown, Joe said: 7 want to say
something in the paper. Six months ago
I gave my word to Mr.. Eddie Graney
that I would never hght another crook
ed fight. I owed him some gratitude
for kind treatment Wlen everybody else
was out after me with the hammer. He
came out here and the first thing he
said to me was: Joe, is this fight going
to be on the up and up2 Tell me the
truth about it..
Il gave him my word again and 1
would die j the ring before I would
break it I wish the people would give
me little credit for honest intentions
this time, for I am going to make the
very best fight that is in me and I will
win just as surely as we meet in the
ring
How do you like this matter of the
eighteen-foot ring?" he was asked.
1T suits me right down to the
ground, said the negro. letting out a
flash of his white teeth. Mr. Nolan
don't know that an eighteen-foot ring is
just where I live Show me where I ever
ran away from anybody, and I have
fought a lot tougher men than Rat-
Ting Nelson. Why. I was willing to con-
cede almost anything to get this fight
and even if the eighteen-foot ring had
been against me / would have agreed
to 1t rather than pass the chance to get
back my standing as a fighter This IS
the whole secret Of 1fT- NoIan's attif1I7e.
perate for a chance at NeIson-willing
to grant almost any reasonable request
This is one reason why he came to mo
with the demand that we weigh in in
our fighting clothes Now. you listen
to me and I will tell you something.
am not going to be hurt by this low
weight and will be strong and fit This
fellow Is not going to get away from
me on any pretext. I would have fought
him on the lid OF a cracker box if there
had been no other way. I would b.
willing to get into six-foot ring with
him and bang away until one man
quit.
''All my life have been fighting
such fellows and winning my fights.
This is the lightest man I have had a
chance at for years and there is going
to be no hitch on my part of the pro-
gramme. Winning this fight will put
me back where I was after 1 whipped
Erne; 1t viii show the people who sup
port the fighting game that Joe Cans
is done with shady work and ready to
fight his best fight whenever he goes
into the ring. ;"
It is no secret that the negro's real
condition is a source of worry to Billy
Nolan, and all along he has believed
that Joe can not make 1873 pounds and
be strong. Now he hears that the
Baltimore fighting machine IS below
the weight and 1T to put up a hard
battle and it worries him. Joe is will
ing to keep Nolan on the anxious seat
But he says that he has no more aces
IN the hole and the Tght Will go as
already arranged.
Joe Cans says that. there will be no
chance for the meeting to fall through
because of any act Of his. Nolan is
worried and anxious as to the out
come. Cans is quietly confident. Mel
son hardly enters into the argument
This youngster is always the same: he
has no nerves to keep him awake
nights and he eats and sleeps well.
Nolan is doing all the worrying for the
Nelson camp. bat there IS no real rea-
sor to believe that Nelson's manager
viii spring a new sensation and at
tempt to make the fight any harder
for Cans than it is at the present time.
1t is officially announced that Larry
Sullivan has been selected as an
nouncer for the fight. The men who
viii handle the fighters have also been
selected. In Cans corner will be
found Frank Mcdonald, Jim Griffith
Bob Turner and Young Sims. Nelson
will be guided by Billy Nolan, Tim Nc
Grath, Young Mccoy and Johnny
Reid