The San Francisco call., 1908-07-07
Dane Readily Gives
Cans a Chance
Agrees to Fight Him TO Finish
Within Next 90 Days
at Ely. Nevada
By r. A. Smyth

Battling Nelson has gained world
wide fame for doing the unexpected
and he seems likely to add to his
reputation in this respect. His latest
is to agree TO give Cans return match
within the next 60 days. 1t is usual
for a man who has won the cham
pionship in any class to wish to reap
his reward by taking on a lot OF easy
matches or else going on the stage.
Nelson shows no inclination to do
either of these, and negotiations have
been practically completed for return
meeting between the lightweights.
Tex Rickard. who promoted the fight
between the rival lightweights at Gold
field, has offered a $4,000 purse for
return match TO be decided at Ely,
New, on Labor day. Willie Britt and
Ben Selig discussed the matter far
into the night and then decided to meet
again tonight at s o'clock. Britt has
an agreement signed by Rickard. in
which the promoter guarantees Nelson
5000 for his share of the fight. The
other $1,000 would represent Cans
share. The latter has a certain pride
in his drawing power and he feels he
is entitled to more money.
Ben Selig has set the figure at
$4,000 for Cans share and the effort
is being made to provide this. In his
eagerness to make the match Britt
has agreed to add $4,000 of his share
to that of Cans. This would give the
latter $1,000. After thinking 1T over
today the Nelson people may decide
to accept $4,000 and allow Cans to
have the $4,000. II they do so the
match will be made at once.
Nelson has no taste for the stage,
and in addition this is not the height
of the season, so that he would prefer
to be fighting rather than appearing
at the theaters.
The match would be an attractive
one for Nevada and would draw well.
Cans friends claim that he happened
upon an off day last Saturday and that
he did not fight up to his form They
are eager to have him get another
chance. The Nelson people are not
averse to it, as they feel that the Dane
can beat the Baltimore man any time
they start and that he could have
beaten Cans the best day he ever knew
owing to the wonderful condition he
was in Saturday.
Nelson was the guest Of the petty
officers Of the Ohio yesterday. He
and his party, which included his
father, Willie Britt and others, were
Hospitality entertained. The majority
of them remained for dinner. Nelson
was photographed alongside one Of the
16 inch guns, which he says is the only
thing which can knock him out.
The Battler's earnings on the night
were appreciably increased yesterday
when Jim May. the Reno sporting man,
who backed him heavily, sent him
$4,000 as a gift.
Tex Rickard has another match in
sight in case he fails to secure the
lightweights. He has offered a $4,000
purse to Tommy Burns and Jack John
son, the former to receive $4,000 as his
share He has been holding out for
$40, 900. but the offer OF the Nevada
man may prove tempting to him. Burns
is preparing to leave Europe for Aus
tralia, where he has been promised
some fights for big money. Rickard
will meet Keating, who represents
Burns, and will try to come TO terms
with him today.
Both Billy Roche and Eddie Smith
are trying to secure match between
Eddie Hanlon and Johnnie Murphy. The
former would stage il at Colma and the
latter at Oakland. Roche is also trying
to bring Adolph Wolgast. Milwaukee
feather weight, and Billy Snailham to-
gether He has the consent Of Wolgast
for the match and is trying to get
Snailham.
Joe O'Connor is on his way home
from Grand Rapids. 1t is not known
whether Ketchel will accompany him
to the coast or not. The match with
Jim Flynn seems to be hanging fire
pending the result OF the fight between
Flynn and Jim Barry in Colorado on
| Thursday night.