Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-26
Admits That He Has Been
Crooked in Ring.
Promises Nov That Future Work
viii Be on the Level.
Two Tame Bouts wednesday Might at
Lancaster and Philadelphia.

Chicago, Jan. 25.-Joe Cans, claim
ant for the lightweight ana weltcr-
weight pugilistic championships, says
he is going to reform. The rehabilita-
ton of the colored fighter is not going
to carry him out of the ring, but all
his fights in the future will be on the
square.
With this statement made by the
fighter Wednesday while he tarried in
the city few hours came the admis-
sion that he had ''doubled-crossed" the
sporting fraternity in the past.
The confession by the Baltimore box
err makes the concluding chapter in the
notorious Cans McGovern fake" per-
petrated in this city Dec. Is, 1900 and
which practically put the sport out OF
business in Chicago. In talking of his
past ring transactions Cans asserted
that he should not be blamed for the
fakes he had been mixed up in.
"When I did not fight on the level, y
he said. 81 was under orders. l am not
under orders any longer and from now
on l will 90 what can to make up for
past misdeeds.
II find it mighty CALLING to confess
that was ever mixed up in any shady
deals. but | might Just as well open
I'D. The truth of the matter is that
whenever l did not do my best. it was
the easiest thing in the whole world tn
get next for the simple reason that
l could never fake " it'll any degree of
skill.
"The only way that is natural with
me is to fight from the tap of the gong
and be in the thick of it every second.
"Thc fans solved the fight between
McGovcrn and myself in this city. /
simply could not put any frills to my
showing and everybody who saw the
bout knew il was not on the square.
"Now I will say that I did not do
what / did i'm the fight on my own hook.
/ was under orders and l will say right
here that I never faxed fight in my
life Of my own voljtion.
1.-THE reason for these happenings
was that whenever I wanted to get on
with any good fighter. my managers
would say: 'Joe. the best fighters wont
meet you because you arc colorcd. II
you want to make any money. you viii
have to lose to the best of them ano
whip the dubs.
"Nuw. what could do" / had L
make "A living and when my manager
told me that could get five times Il:
much for losing to Il good fighter as
winning from moor one. / took hi:
word for it and tried to fight accord
ingly. but | always made Il mess of it,
81 am my own boss now and you
cali bet that in the future every fSh
Will be on the level with me. Battling
Nelson's manager says he won't lei
the Dane meet me because I am fax
ir. will soon show him he cannot hide
behind the excuse. because the reform
with me is on the level.
my fight with Sullivan on the coas
showed to the fans on the coast that
am as good as | ever was and ! guess
they will tell you that l am pretty
much on the square. too.
"NOw despite reports to the contra
ry. ! can make 133 mounds rinCsidc
will make 133 pounds three hours before
the fight for Nelson or Britt"
Cans is on his way to Baltimore
where he will try to straightcn out his
wifes alimony. BEFORE he left he ha0
n talk with Nate Lewis in regard to a
fight with Kid Herman. Cans consid-
ers Herman Il great lightweight fight
er and said he was going to take him
on IL the Chicago boy defeats Herrera
Feb. 9.