The Detroit times., 1909-12-14

wards" is the statement made by
John r. Robinson the lightweight
champions manager and friend for
years The great fighters he has
/ beaten down in some Of the historic
battles OF the ring have been broken
hearted. as we'll as ply steal wrecks,
after the Daue finished with them.
And still. Nelson would Ear rather
have has opponents keep on lighting
after he whips them. lie is naturally
Il soft.hearted sort OF a fellow and
hates TO see anybody 90 down and out.
/ Fighting is simply "A business with
him He bears no hard feeling toward
the men he has defeated with the
exception OF Joe Cans. and it seems
10 ME that all the hate possible for
one man 10 concentrate against an
other has been gathered into Nelson :
system against Cans Still. believe
that if a benefit was engineered for
Cans tomorrow. Nelson would he the
first man TO send a substantial check.
But TO get back TO what becomes
OF his opponents The first great bat.
tie Nelson fought after he found
himself was with Spider Welch. ~
salt Lake city Welch had been
cleaning ZIP his opponents in great
style on the coast. and was regarded
AS a coming champion Nelson had
been picked as soft mark through
the medium Of which Spider would
Jump another round in the ladder
For sixteen rounds the men fought
neck 10 neck. WEIGH FOR the first time
in his career found man who could
not be hurt by his blows All the
time Bat was wearing him down. and
in the sixteenth nature could stand
the strain no longer and Welch
crumpled up in a corner OF the ring
= He was never heard OF again In tho
squared Giro le-his heart was broken
by the knowledge that his blows made
no impression on the blonde haired
Dane
After WEIGH came Martin Candle.
Candle was the greatest lightweight
New England ever produced I His left
hand was a marvellous affair, shooting
in and ont with the rapidity of SER
penis fang. and carrying sure death
with every dart. He was big fav-
orite IN the betting, the san Francisco
critics refusing 10 believe that Nelson
udu actually NAippfN Ntl'H.
First crack Candle dropped Mel
son with the left To the Jaw. In the
fifth he almost put Nelson away again
with the left to the stomach. These
were Martins greatest blows. but they
failed utterly 70 hurt the rushing
Dane At the end OF eighteen rounds
Candle took the count. both for that
battle and for all time. as far as ring
fame is concerned He returned east.
broken-h hearted. and fought few sec
ond-raters. but never showed the Old
Candle ability. IL was gone forever
battered out OF him by the relentless
Nelson,
Then came great game Eddie Han.
lon Nelson was still the under-dog in
the betting. Ilanlon mad virtually
whipped Corbett lie was in prime
shape. looked the part OF the fighter.
while Nelson was stuI a scrawney,
undeveloped youngster. Eddie had
everything punch, speed and genera
ship. and was as game as pebble.
But Nelson put him away in - rounds.
and Eddie Hanlon never amounted 10
anything afterwards.
The 20.round whipping which Mel.
son gave Herrera afterwards was the
last appearance Of Herrera in the ring
when he was regarded as champion
shin contender. He fought a number
Of battles after being whipped by Bat,
but they were only against easy men.
Bat drove ont OF his system the
stamina to fight a top-notcher.
Young Corbett in 10 rounds was
next. Corbett came back and fought
-, L. a. oil inc
rounds. Three months ago I was with
Corbett in philadelphia and he told
me that Battling Nelson was the man
who actually finished his career in the
ring
Britt and Nelson fought 90 roU--s
Britt getting the decision Then they
fought again at Colma and Rat knock.
ed out Britt In IS rounds This was the
fight In which Britt was eliminated
from the prize ring calculations. lie
was never the same Jimmy Britt He
fought n few times, came 10 New York
and was matched with Terry McGOv-
eru was sporting editor OF n New
York newspaper at the time and went
10 Coney Island 20 see Britt in his
training quarters The tall. drittcd to
Nelson
That man is human Jli right said
Britt. But he Is also something L."
sides human I'm not fool myself.
and tell you that he has finished my
ring work may come back Jnd win
lot ~ fights yet but belize" M.
IN never bc as good again as was
before climbed into the ring with
thai Dane At Colma aud rot Knocked
ont ia ~ rounds
LAST on tho list OF great dead ones
Is Joe Cans IN their first fight. Cans
gave Nelson terrible beating ON the
head bat returned the whipping with
interest by hammering Cans body To-
pulp After the fight. the experts
said Cans was champion and Nelson
dead one-that u ever bat iougbi
again he would be- easy for n third
ratcr
The writer figured differently. but