The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-15
Formal Special Service,

Journal Special Service.
PHILADELPHIA, March 15:-rerry Mceovern and
Battling Nelson fought last night one of the
fastest and most vicious battles ever seen in the
ring. Nelson did the greater amount of damage.
In the fourth and fifth rounds he staggered Nc
Govern with heavy left swings the jaw and
neck and shook him up that his legs
quivering and his steps trihe uncertain. Nc
Governs blows were terrific and many of them
s the Dane for an instant. He was always boring
{ In. The stamina Of the man Is marvellous.
Blows heavy enough to knock down a heavy
weight thudded upon his jaws again and again,
but they only twisted his head aside for mo-
1 ment. He never ceased his attack.
Nelson Not a Brute. rs,
maker Of fine phrases long ago declared that
Nelson had In his makeup SO much Of the ''abys-
stretch ordinary pugnist senseless the
floor only encourages him to fight AS a
& matter of fact, there is nothing british about
s the boy. He is simply blest with such dull
f nerves that he does not feel punishment half so
keenly as the ordinary pug. And in that insen-
ability to shock lay the advantage Nelson
had over McGovern. If 1t were possibility
to keep an accurate tally sheet Of the blows
struck in the battle it would be found that
each man landed about the same number. Nelson
was always up and doing, while McGovern was
on three occasions so weak that his friends feared
knockout punch at any moment.
II Under the remarkable ordinances Of Phladel-
phia, which allow men to fight six rounds, but
any encounter, Referee Jack McGuigin not
allowed to the winner last night. 1t seems
+ to this writer that on the work done Nelson
would have been entitled to the decision. He
+ hurt McGovern more than McGovern hurt him.
Terry Comes Back.
s. Nevertheless, Terry made wonderful rally in
the sixth round Once ne swung hard that
4 the force of the swing threw him to the floor
3 on knee. and few seconds alter he nearly
Il fell from the force of similar blow. He was
bombarding Nelson furiously at the finish and
seemed quite as strong the Dane
The fight shows that Terry McGovern has
come back to his own. He is as fast ever
md he is bigger and stronger than before
Only his splendid condition brought him back
after Nelson had weakened him with heavy
swings. While Terry is fast as he was, he i:
not accurate in his judgment of time anc
distance as he used to be. This, of course, il
due to his long absence from the ring. If he
!. keeps fighting, stays off the stuff and take:
care of himself it is not impossible that b,
may yet become the lightweight champion. Whe1
he remembers the condition he was in yea
ago and thinks of the wonderful work he dit
last night, he ought to be proud of himself ane
resolve to do better still:
Nelson Plodder.
AS for Nelson he showed himself the sam
plain, laborious fighter as ever, with an ugly
unattractive style. not bit snowy, but YER
effective. He has trick of boring in with hi
head down that is decidedly unfair. He use
4
difficult to understand how the referee, him
self pugilist of experience, could permit Neso
to keep on butting McGovern in the neck and O.
the muscles between neck and shoulder.
tz9 Neither Nelson McGovern reached tn
clubhouse until few minutes before 10 O'Clock
Both men were fit and trained to the hour. Tn
men were to fight at 1873 pounds and were t
receive rs per cent of the receipts, Of which 4
per cent was to go to Nelson, win or lose
There considerable betting on the bout
with Nelson slight favorite. McGovern none
was plentiful his admirers did not hesitat
to back the Brooklyn boy. ".r.