The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-07-04

SAN FRANCISCO, July 3.-Or
the eve OF the battle between Joe
Cans and Battling Nelson for the
worlds lightweight championship
honors, the negro is decided favor
ite. Bookmakers predict that many
heavy wagers will be made before the
men enter the ring tomorrow, Mel
son and his hackers are confident that
he will win victory over his old
time foe, but this opinion is shared
by only small proportion of the
sporting experts congregated in San
Francisco today to witness the mill.
According to the articles Of agree
ment, the bout will take place tomor-
row afternoon at Crofforth's Mission
street arena and is scheduled to 60 As
rounds. The winner will receive 90
per cent and the loser 40 per cent of
the 20 per cent of the gross proceeds
which will go to the fighters. The men
will weigh in at 1873 pounds at the
ringside stripped.
Jack Welsh has been agreed upon
as referee. A clause in the articles
is to the effect that the referee must
not put his hands on the men if they
should be in a clinch. They must
step back at his command This clause
was inserted at the request OF Nell
sons representative The Dane never
clinches, and this condition is thought
to favor him. 1t was considered of
so much Importance by Ben Selig
that he had special conference with
Cans before he agreed that it be
made part OF the articles. Nelson
does his most effective work at in
fighting, hence this is expected to be
in his favor
There is every indication that
Secord-breaking crowd will witness
the encounter, anxious to see settled
the dispute which Nelson and his
supporters have tried to keep up ever
since that memorable battle at Cold
field on September 8, 1906.
There has never been any doubt in
the minds of the fair ones as to the
outcome Of the struggle, for only
the prejudiced gave any consideration
to the ridiculous claims of Nelson
that he had been robbed of VIC
tory, but the Dane and his imme-
diate followers have not missed
single opportunity to question the
right of the negro to the lightweight
championship title, and repeated chal-
lenges for another contest have been
mingled with the numerous attempts
TO harm the hstic standing OF the
colored man.
Now it is all to be settled in the
ring, and if the apparent form of the
two men during the past year counts
for anything the Dane is in for a
worse beating than he received at
Gold6eld, and beating, too, that
will leave no room for arguments in
the future.
In no fight since he escaped
knockout or an adverse decision on
points by deliberately losing to Cans
on foul in the forty-second round
in Nevada has Nelson displayed his
o1d-time ability Nelson has pulled
off one or two fairly creditable per-
formances, all things considered, but
nevertheless he gave in every appear
ance the impression that he wasn't
the same Battler, showing in many
ways waning of the qualities that
once caused him to be hailed as the
king Of the lightweight lot.
Cans, on the other hand, has gone
right along in the same old way 50
familiar to fans who have seen in
him for years the greatest lighting
machine, big or little, the ring has
ever known. His failure to stop I'm
holz in shorter time is not taken to
mean the passing Of his famous
punch by those who know the re-
markable ability Of the Boer to stand
punishment. That he is as fit as ever
in all other departments there is not
the slightest doubt, and the only con-
clusion possible is that in the coming
contest Nelson is likely to discover
for the first time in his life how it
feels to be knocked out
G. 3. Rnrhans Testifes After Years