The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-07-07
BAT" NELSON
WINS FROM CANS
NEGRO FIGHTER BEGINS TO TIRE
I'M THIRD.
IS AN EXCITING MILL

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Champion OF Tho Light Weight
Class Of The World-cans Admits
Defeat.
San Francisco, July 4.-Battling
Nelson today won the title OF light
weight championship Of the world
from the man who defeated him at
Gold1eld, Nevada, almost two years
ago.
He knocked out Joe Cans in the
seventeenth round after a fight as des-
perate as any that has been seen here
in years. Fighting from the begin
ming to the end Of every round. NOV
ing ceaselessly forward and never Civ.
ing ground, Nelson. with his bulldog
tenacity and wonderful stamina, slow
ly battered the veteran colored cham
pion into submission. +
Was Sure For Nelson.
The end was not sudden and there
were few who watched the progress
OF the battle and saw Cans grow
weaker and wea1er from round to
round, but had made up their minds
as to the result before the decision
was given. Three times Cans was
sent to the floor in the final round,
each time taking all the time allowed.
A blow from Nelson's left glove to
the pit Of the stomach ended the fight
and as Cans toppled over and rested
on his knees his face wore a most
painful expression.
He tried in vain to regain his feet
but tainted and was counted out.
Ten Thousand Men Are Wild.
Then 10000 men and some score Of
women who had gathered in. the open
air area on the San Mateo hills cheer
ed, the man who had become champion
after defeat and rushed in frenzied
enthusiasm for the ring. The special
police were bowled over and Nelson
was swept on his feet. and hoisted on
the shoulders of his friends to be
carried about the arena and to his
dressing room, while the beaten,
bleeding Cans was calmly escorted by
his seconds from the scene of his de.
feat.
Cans Admits Defeat.
"The best nan won beyond doubt
was Cans admission, as he left the
ring. Its the old story of one fight
too many" After the third round ]
began to feel myself firing. Old age
will tell. That is all have to say"
Fight by Rounds.
Round THE men shook hands
and after feinting with the left, Cans
sent in three smashes to the face and
ear. At close quarters Nelson put a
short right 70 the body and Cans land
ed right and left to the face. Nelson
retaliated with a lell to the nose,
rushing Cans against the ropes. The
round was in Cans favor, but his lip
bled slightly as he took his seat.
Round 2-Gans met Nelson with
two straight lefts to the jaw, as the
Dane rushed in and Nelson swung
wildly three times. Cans was quick
to take advantage OF. this and planted
three. hard slefts to the face, follow
ing this with two short right arm
swings to the jaw. Cans then stag
gered Nelson with a succession of
short swings to the jaw, but did not
appear to worry him. They continu-
ed to fight head to head. Every time
Nelson's head got a foot away from
Cans shoulder, Cans sent in a right
and left wallop to the jaw.
Round 3-Gans continued to play
with Nelson as II he were but a child,
landing right and left to the face at
will. The blood started to squirt from
Nelson's nose, as they emerged from
a clinch. Nelson went to the floor
from we'll directed swing, but was
up at once and rushing. The round.
was all Cans.
Nelson Does All the Work.
The fourth and fifth rounds were
like the others pretending them. They
wrestled- about the ring. Cans trying
to make Nelson step back, but the
Dane per~sistently refused. Nelson
scarcely landed a blow and every THE
he stepped away his head proved a
target for Cans lightning left. Cans
out fought Nelson whenever they had
their heads apart. They wrestled
about the ring, Cans permitting Mel
son to do all the work, while he
nursed his strength.
For the first time the men fought
for half a minute at arms length in
the sixth and Cans landed a couple
Of lefts to the Battler'ss face. They
soon resumed thier shoulderto-should-
er tactics however, Nelson showing
Cans about the ring. In q chnch
Nelson sent a hard right to Cans face
d. 49, - -