Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-08
Bv AID WOLGAST.

BY AID W0LGAST.
U.iehtweieht Champion Of the WORLDLY
Special Dispatch to The Star.
DETROIT, May 7.-There are just as
many lightweights in the field nowadays
as there ever were. but to my NINA
there are not SO many free-for-all chance
takers as in the days when Kid Lavigne
used to beat everybody up hands down.
The boys in the ring today want TO
..work Nd" There are lots of good
fighters in the second division who are
perfectly satisfied to make a fair living
in the ring by taking on only ouo
fighters. They don't want to take on the
champions for fear they will be Daoiy
beaten and be put out of the game Tor
good. They have no ambition, and no
lighter can be a champion without am
bition.
That only goes to show how the hight
game has improved in the last ten OF
fifteen wears. A good kid has to 60
through tough schooling before ne VIII
be taken on by a champion, ana ne mas
to have a lot of friends who are Wiling
to back him. Champions have Deen IN
the habit of asking big purses and max
ing unfair divisions, so that any prom
Using youngster would be 1ooi 10 ouch
into them big unless pretty sure Oh VIII
ming. I was dead sure / would beat Nei
son both times 1 fought him, and went
into it strong Besides winning the cham
pionship. I won a lot of money, placing
ali the money could lay my hands on.
Doesn't Hold drudge.
Now. nv erudge with Bat Nelson has
vorn ont long ago. / was satisfied when
found that I could do as pleased with
him in the last half of our long fight ON
February % l only want to say that
don't see how the Battler ever held the
championship SO long. He isn't built Tor
a champion though he has hoOred some
good ones. He has q punch. Dut Is 1 9os
clever enough to land it II you play 1or
him right. He has won more battles on
tricks than anything else.
When he stepped into the ring at Point
Richmond. after keeping everybody walt
get me nervous, but 1t had the other ef-
feet walked up to him and said:
Nelson, you've got some one In the
ring this time that you can do anything
you like with and he won't say word.
Yo, can box, bite. kick or butt. and it's
all the same to me. / want to night. and
I will stand for anything from horseshOes
in our gloves to ear laps. All ask is to
be able to do the same to you
He kidded me. but that only made me
and everybody knows how it ended.
"Nelson Is Game"
Nelson was game. Every one says 1T
was a great fight. but L knew after the
twenty-fifth round that / would win
Now. this is why 1 don't think he ought
to have been champion. I was not at my
best when I fought Nelson any more
than / am right now. I am getting bet
ter all the time. The'way he fought that
fight didn't show any great championship
form on his part. Nelson fought few
fights, and it was only after many hard
knocks and scheming that he was able
to get Cans. Cans was one Of the
greatest fighters in the lightweight class
the world has ever known.
The reason Nelson could not get fights
was because he wanted too much Of the
gate receipts Plenty of good purses were
offered, but matches fell through because
Nelson's share was to be too big.
Only Fair Treatment.
Now Tom Jones can match me with
any, one in the world. and as long as l
get fair treatment I won't kick. We will
take them all on in turn, one at time.
There are lots of good fighters at my
weight who would make good drawing
4
bouts are to be had. The trouble in the
east is that fight fans believe no one in
the world can beat their favorites. while
the fighters themselves think there is no
money outside of Gotham. Say, If they
were to go out west they'd soon change
their minds. Where there is no cham
pionship at stake 1 won't be too careful
about debating terms.
Some Good Men.
There's raft of fighters in the ten
round class that are willing to try me
over that route Some of these are Mat
ty Baldwin. Ray Bronson, Johnny Mario,
Mickey Cannon, Lew Powell. George
Memsic and many others. Take Powell
and Memsic, for instance. Either OF
these could scare up good house any
old time. The trouble is neither Of them
keeps before the public long enough to
stand genuine championship battle
Mario is not well known outside OF New
York, where most of his battles have
been fought.
Harlem Tommy Murphy is a good
fighter, but has won too many fights
through the newspapers. If at any time
am in need of a match 1 will give the
Harlem lad a show. but he is down neal
the end of the list 1 have in mind now.
think he would be troubled in getting
down to the 133-pOund limit 1 would in
sist on, and might steer clear Of battle
on that account.
Moran Would Draw.
owen Moran ought to draw well. II
he could beat Tommy Murphy he would
be taken on in a minute. i think also
could afford to give Packey Mcfarland
.hroa borrS before the fiphf IN unako 121