The San Francisco call., 1909-03-04
COMING BIG FIGHT
A BOOST FOR
THE GAME
Fans Are EIated Over Prospect
of Meeting Between HyIand
and Nelson
By William }. SIattery

BY William j. Sfattery
The announcement of the signing of
Battling Nelson and Fighting Dick Hy-
land by Conroth for a lightweight
4 championship battle in May created a
great stir all the way up and down the
line yesterday. It was the biggest
boom that the game OF hsticurs has
known since the memorable Cans
: Nelson contest of July 4, and it prom
ises TO take the form Of the much
needed stimulent and tonic that the
local ring has long been looking forward
to. Many look upon it a life saver
after the long slump of the winter.
Coffroth is being congratulated by
his friends on all sides. He believes
that be has made a great match-a
fighting match-the very sort that the
fans have been hungering after for
ever so long. Everybody feels conf
dent that there will be no stalling or
fOoling around this time. 1t viii be
tight from the moment they enter the
arena on the Mission road until one or
the other hears the referee say eight,
nine, ten. you're out"
COffroth and Jack Perkins, Hyland' s
manager, got together last evening and
formally signed the articles. Every
thing was satisfactory 10 each party.
Cofroth Immediately mailed the docu-
ments TO the champion, who viii re-
ceive them in Chicago within the next
few days, officially WELD his pen and
return them to Conroth. There was
never q hitch from the moment the
subject was brOached until the promo
ter and the chanengers representative
placed their seal Of approval on the
papers.
Nelson viii hurry back as soon as
his eastern BUSINESS has been attended
to. he is anxious TO be here, and II
was with regret that he LETT atter
agreeing TO take on Hyland. The Bat
ter always likes TO be on the Job when
he is about 10 figure as one Of the prin-
cipals in an important ring engage
ment He is full Of business at these
times.
It is Nelson's plan to take a month s
layOf upon his arrival and seek Sc
cluded portion Of the mountains for a
two weeks tramping and hunting trip.
de feels that he needs the rest and he
believes that this sort Of work viii do
him more good than ali the gymnasium
exercise and tedious road work he can
possibly indulge in
Nelson has already completed ar
rangements with Chief Jack Grace for
his next TO nature work. The chief
viii have charge Of the expedition,
which will start about April !. Nelson
feels that he viii be right on edge
then for two or three weeks of steady
training, which should put him in the
grandest possible FORM He always
knows when he is right.
%. Nelson realizes that he viii meet a
tough, rugged and tireless fighter in
Hyland and he is not going to take
any chances of losing that hard earned
championship crown. He Will prepare
"a r~r-rraff1rr 4iph+ and he will flT him.
self 20 be more formidable than ever.
If such a thing be possible. What he
needs this time is plenty Of outdoor
work and little boxing.
The coming tight viii be the first real
important ring affair in which Hyland
has ever figured here. though he was
raised in this city and learned how TO
hold up his dukes south of Market
street. Like Abe Attell, Dick was
forced to travel east of the Rockies in
search of recognition, and now he is
back on the job with a reputation.
Hyland. like the Atteils, frankie Neil,
Joe Thomas and others who made their
inches in Queensberry's hall of fame,
learned how TO fight in Alex Greggains'
old gym at Sixth and Folsom streets.
Starting out as bantam, Dick fought
and defeated most of the best boys in
the four round division and finally
growing heavier he graduated into the
feather weight class.
His rise was slow and devoid of spec
tacular incidents. he never beat down
his opponents quickly or showed
flashes of the speed Of Abe Attell or
the Furnishing powers of frankie Neil,
but he was nevertheless coming all the
time and now he finds himself a can
didate for championship honors when
most Of the boys who started with him
have fought their way into the cellar.
In the east Hyland was a hit nearly
everywhere he went He has known
only on decisive defeat-that at the
hands OF frankie Neil January 81, 1905.
Neil made Hyland quit in the fifteenth
round. but Dick was far below his nat
ural weight that night and even his
closest admirers did not cOncede him a
chance to win.
The possibility of a meeting between
9 Johnny CoulOn and Monte Attell for the
bantam weight championship of the
world is not so bright now as il was
a few days ago. A new obstacle
in the form Of three pounds of weight
lies IN the path, and it promises to take
all the strength which Coffroth can COM
mand 10 remove il, and he may be
found wanting.
Coulon wired last night that he
would fight Attell during the month OF
April but he now insists on 112 pounds
six hours before the fight instead OF
115 pounds. the weight he agreed upon
a few days ago Coulon says he has a
letter on the way and until Cohroth re-
ceives this he VIII take no further
steps toward bringing about the match