The San Francisco call., 1910-10-31
BATTLER TO CONE
OR GO TONIGHT
Nelson Will Face Antoine Ia
Grave i'm Fifteen Round Bat
tie at DreamIand
By WILLIAM ]. SLATTERY

oJ W4GA1hM j. Ola EN-
Tonight is the night of the Nelson
"coine back" or the Nelson ''go back"
The Battler broke up his training camp
at Colma yesterday afternoon and last
of the bell which will bring him face
to face with Antoine la Grave at
Dreamland this evening in the first
real ring encounter which he has had
since Ad Wolgast knocked the light
weight championship crown off his
head over in Richmond last February,
NO contest since the big hascO at
Reno has created such interest among
the followers of the sport as this one
Everybody who is in the habit of gath
ering at the ringside will be there
this evening. They are curious to
know whether Nelson can come back
/ or whether he is in the same class that
Jeffries found himself when he faced
johnson under the blazing sun of the
Nevada desert more than three months
ago.
CONFIDENCE IN NELSON
The fans of. San Francisco have al
ways had and still have a whole lot of
confidence in Nelson. He has always
given them great run for their money
In the past, and this is one OF the rea-
sons why they are taking such a vast
amount of interest in tonight's affair
This interest. added to a certain amount
of curiosity as to whether or not Nell
son is there makes the bill of fare
doubly attractive. If Nelson does win
deciSively. he will again be hailed like
the conquering hero.
1t is hard to get a good line on Nell
sons opponent for the reason that he
is an untried quantity. He has al
ways done what was expected of him
in the minor bouts in which he ha
Z taken part, but there is whole lot OF
difference between these affairs and
the one of tonight, when the Butcher
town lad meets one of the greatest
men in the game at 1873 pounds
La Grave is young and strong and
rugged. He is clever in his own Pc
culiar way. though not what one might
term classy boxer. He will take
plenty of punishment and come back
for more In fact. his only weakness is
his lack of experience. If he retains
his head in the rushes tonight, his
chances of holding the Battler off for
15 rounds look bright.
Instead of laying off yesterday-for
boxers generally do the day before
contest-Nelson put in a full day at
the Colma training camp. He was up
with the birds and out on the road
for an eight mile run, while most of
the fans were sleeping. Then little
rest and Bat repaired 10 the gym
nasium, where ne went to 1T in earnest
BOXES WITH PARTNERS
Before the largest crowd that has yet
turned out to watch him. Nelson trav-
eled six fast rounds with Eddie Dennis
and Marty Kane. He just rushed these
boys practically of their feet. showing
more speed than at any other time since
he started training for this bout. Mel
son weighed a trif1e over 133 pounds at
the close of his session.
A couple of hours later the BattIer
broke up camp and went to the Sultan
baths, where he will lay around till
Weighing in time, 5 o'clock this aft
ernoon. His chief second will be Jack
Grace. who will be assisted by Abdul
the Turk, Eddie Dennis apd Marty
Kane. Jim May OF Reno, one of Mel
sons old time friends, will hold the
watch for him.
Il am not going to say how quickly
I will knock La Grave out or am I
saying that I will knock him out at
ALL announced the Battler last night.
but the fans can rely on me to keep
after him all the time I am right
and I will give them the best that is
in me, just as have always done. If
1 did not think would win I never
would have made this match
TWO PRELIMINARIES
There will be two preliminaries to
the main event, both of them likely
looking affairs. In the first the Hoosier
Kid and Hook Keyes will hook up for
six rounds. This will be followed by
10 round affair between JEFF Perry, Nell
sons old time sparring partner and
frankie Edwards, the clever light
weight from Oakland.
The main doors of Dreamland will be
thrown open at 7:3o and the gallery
doors half an hour earlier In order to
accommodate what Promoter Jim Grff-
fin believes will be a record crowd for
the year. The first preliminary will
start promptly at $3.50 and the other
events will be put on In quick order, so
that there will be no waiting.
II want it understood that I have
discharged all the so called profess
sional ushers,'" said Griffin last night
Every holder of a coupon will get
his seat and there will be no grating
as in the past The fight fans have
always patronized my shows literally.
and 1 intend to see that they are well
taken care Of"
The seats for the contest will be on
IL o1I lox t0Ho A..