Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-24
NELSON READY
TO FIGHT AGAIN
LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMP MAKES
DECLARATION
Declares That Freddie Welsh or Packy
Mcfarland Can Get Whack at
Title by Showing Him Suf-
ficient Money

Battling Nelson arrived in Los An
geles last evening in time to attend the
Wolgast-W Webster scrap and was given
great ovation when he was intro
duced from the ring. attesting the
great esteem in which he is held by
Los Angeles fans Battling Boy is on
his way to San Francisco, where he
has some cases in court that are to be
called soon, but stopped off to meet
his old friends here and see if there
really is anything in all this talk of a
match for him with Freddie Welsh.
Nelson said last night that he lacks
a heap of being a retired champion
and added that he is ready to talk
fight with any aspiring lightweight in
the world, none barred, but he insists
upon getting sufficient money for his
end of the purse to make it worth
while to go into training and take the
risk of losing his title. He explained
his attitude in a characteristic little
speech, in which he said:
L am ready to give any lightweight
in the world chance at the cham
pionship, but I want to see enough
money in sight to make it worth while
for me to go into training and take
the risks involved any time a fighter
goes into the ring. 1 have been a long
time getting to the top of the heap,
clAlI OSlACNC IlCy II has DS0U TOuRn
shedding most of the way. Once I was
willing to fight for two bits or sand
wich but the 81 purses do not appeal
to me any more. 1 must have Suffi-
cient money to make it worth while or
I will retire. I do not have to fight,
but prefer to keep active than to re-
main idle.
Freddie Welsh. Packy Mcfarland or
any other lightweight can get my game
0IJ 7 .-I,%
If any of them can interest me in the
financial details of a match they will
find it easy to arrange the other de-
tails of the match, and I am ready to
talk business with any of the promo
ters who want my services. I prefer
to take on Welsh, because believe he
would be easier than Mcfarland, but
nobody is barred, and I will not select
my opponent making it an open field
for all of them. But they must show
me the money"
1t certainly has been a long and
hard journey from the pork -and-bean
class to the championship, and Bat at
tanned the premier honors of his di-
vision by whipping the greatest light
weight that ever preceded him-Joe
Gans-something no other lightweight
ever was. able to do. AS he very right
ly states. he won the championship
fairly and never engaged in a crooked
fight in his entire career, depending
solely upon his merits and lighting
honestly and squarely. If anybody can
honestly whip him that individual can
get the championship by showing Bat
the necessary coin to induce him to
engage in a championship battle.
He will remain in Los Angeles two
or three days, going from here to Paso
Robles. where he expects to take the
baths and lose a severe cold that makes
talking rather painful and difficult.
From there he will go to San Fran
cisco to push his cases against Billy
Nolan, his former manager. Meantime,
if the coast promoters want his serv-
ices he is ready to talk business to
them and will consider any reasonable
offers for scrap with Welsh, McFar-
land or any of them.