Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-10
FREDDIE WELSH is
AFTER BAT NELSON

NEW YORK. November 1O.-By de-
feating Johnny Summers on points in a
decisive manner I'm London Freddie Welsh
has the undisputed title of England
lightweight champion pugilist. Welsh
has received from the National Sporting
Club a diamond belt emblematic of these
ring honors. and has become the most
popular boxer. with the possible excep-
ton OF Jim Driscoll. in Great Britain.
Welsh is coming to America soon for the
expressed purpose of forcing Battling
Nelson to fight him for the lightweight
championship of the world. The little
Englishman has been vainly seeking q
match with Nelson for two years. but In
view of his grip on the British champion
ship he believes that this time Nelson
will have to either fight or crawl. Welsh
is we'll known in this country, where
he has boxed in all the large cities. He
jumped into the limelight when he boxed
a twenty-five-round draw with Packey
Mcfarland at Los Angeles a year ago last
July. In that affair Welsh, in the opinion
Of many competent critics. had a distinct
advantage, and should have received the
verdict. Later the Briton made Abe Attell
look like selling platter in a fifteen-round
bout i'm the same place. 1t is true that
Welsh had the advantage in weight, but
the way he outboxed the scientific feath-
erweight champion left no room to doubt
his quality.
Welsh has challenged Nelson repeatedly.
but without receiving recognition. He
has posted 5000 In cash as a forfeit and
side bet on several occasions but Nelson
has ignored him. He has threatened to
claim the lightweight championship by
default, but the Battler has merely
laughed. Once or twice Nelson, when
cornered, has expressed a willingness to
fight Welsh some time" but that is
about all.
Now Welsh Is coming back to this
country with increased prestige and a
just demand for a match. He says he
will post $1,000 forfeit upon his ar
rival here and will issue a challenge to
Nelson to fight twenty rounds. forty-five
rounds or to a finish at 1873 pounds ring
side. the American lightweight limit. He
says the $1,000 can go as side bet and
that he will let Nelson decide upon the
division of the purse. Welsh declares
that he will agree to California as the
battle ground and will be ready to fight
within two months after he reaches here.
The English champion also sets forth
that he has first call on Nelson and that
the latter will not be called upon to meet
the winner of the Wolgast-Powell fight
November %.
In a battle to a finish Welsh might be
a hard proposition for Nelson unless the
latter possessed his old endurance. There
is not a scientific thing about boxing
that Welsh doesn't know. He has a
phenomenal defense and is lightning it
self I'm landing blows with either hand.
But he lacks a knockout punch. as his
recent mill with Summers well illus
trated. He is physically strong, though,
and has undoubted stamina, being gener-
ally regarded by ring .sharps as essen
TALLY a long distance fighter. With su.
perior endurance he might be able to tire
Nelson out unless the latter happened to
reach him with a knockout blow. In a
twenty round bout. however. Welsh might
ho winner Nelson
is not a boxer in the strictest sense OF
the word. At any rate it is the prevail
ing opinion that Welsh Is entitled to he
heard and that he and Nelson are far
and away the best lightweight pugilisfs
in the world today. Will Nelson come
forward like a real champion and accept
welsh's sportsmanlike challenge when
the proper time comes?