Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-17
NELSON SEEMS
GOOD AS EVER
APPEARANCE ENCOURAGES HIS
ADMIRERS
SHOWS SAME DAsHlNG SPIRIT AS
OF YORE
Wolgast Impresses Northern Fans by
His Showing While Training.
Compares FavorabIy with
the Champion

RICHMOND, Feb. 16.-From a for
lorn hope to the biggest battle held in
California for the past four years is
the almost magical history of the Bat
ting Nelson-Ad Wolgast contest,
scheduled for Washington's birthday in
this city. Sid Hester, the young pro-
moter who has engineered the deal,
looms up today as James Coffroth's
greatest rival for the title of premier
promoter. and Tom O'Day, the million
aire contractor whose money has en-
abled Hester to wage his winning fight,
stands in a fair way to make fortune
on the battle.
For weeks the match hung in the air.
both Nelson and Wolgast working every
string possible to increase the size Of
the purse. Hester met their demands,
and then for days hunted for battle
ground. The newspapers and fight fans
began to regard the proposed match as
a joke until Hester finally secured his
permit in this city, and then work in
real earnest started.
The arena in which the men will meet
is now in process of construction and
will be finished the day before the bat
tie. 1t is the biggest arena ever con-
structed for any battle, and will hold
10000 spectators. Both Nelson and VOL
gast are practically down to weight.
Nelson is at 1874 and will stay there un-
til two days before entering the ring.
Despite the fact that WolgaSt'S man
ager, Tom Jones, declares the Cadillac
lightweight weighs an even 1874 pounds,
John r. Robinson, Nelson's manager,
declares that Wolgast scarcely moves
the beam at 131. Robinson is reported
to have a spy among the Wolgast fol-
lowers, and is daily kept in touch with
every move made by the German. one
of Nelson's sparring partners was sus-
pected of carrying information to Jones
and Robinson and Nelson drove him
out of the camp.
Nelson Is Still There
"Is Nelson's stamina still there?'' Is
the question which is being discussed
in every boxing resort in California.
The wonderful Danish fighting machine
is admitted on every side to outclass
Wolgast, provided the old stamina is
still in his system At his best Nelson
is to bet. But years of hard cam
paigning in the ring may have sapped
the system of the champion, and on
this point alone seems to hang the re-
suit of the coming battle.
Nelson himself laughs at any such
statement. But it is pointed out and
verified that Cans, McGoVern, Sullivan
Fitzsmmons and scores of others made
the same statement All believed they
were just as good as ever, and all went
down to defeat No champion ever lost
his crown without believing, before en-
tering the ring for the fatal battle, that
he was "just as good as ever"
In training Nelson looks the same.
He is like a streak of lightning, ana
hits with the same deadly vim as be
fore. Moreover, Bat has developed into
something of a sharpshooter, and can
now pick out the death spots in Jim
Corbett or Kid Mccoy fashion. He
seems faster on his feet and cooler IN
action. In fact, it is the same old
tearing, rushing Dane, with a tinge OF
the boxer and ring general thrown IN.
He declares that the betting odds, now
10 to in his favor, are false, ana that
he regards himself as a good 10 TO
against Wolgast.
Ad Wolgast is just as confident. Ihe
German lightweight is shorter and
chunkier than Nelson. His arms are
bigger, his chest deeper and his neck
stronger There is none of that scraw-
ny look that has always characterized
the Dane when he was in perfect condl-
ton. Wolgasts skin and complexion
are not as clear as Nelson's, but his
followers declare this is due to the facC
that he is a growing youth, and mas
matured rapidly.
Wolgast is faster than Nelson. lie
hits oftener and from more angles. lie
Is d D6lISf bOACI oii lhS -
though perhaps not as good ring gen
eral as the Dane. Ifis greatest punch
is an overhanded kidney affair, which
has almost paralyzed his opponents.
His blows are not as heavy as those
delivered by Nelson, but come faster
and more often.
Wolgast never has fought a great
punisher like Nelson. AS far as aplllty
TO stand punishment is concerned, he
is an unknown quantity. His gameness
never has been questioned, and, like
Nelson, he always has assumed the Of
fensive when in the ring and always
kept rushing his opponents around the
ring. He never has met a performer
of Nelson's class or generalshlp, but
many coast ring experts believe ne Is
ennaI to the task of beating down and
wearing out the man who never before
has been even tired in the ring.