The Washington herald., 1910-02-21
ON EDGE FOR MILL
Nelson and Wolgast Will
Clash Tomorrow.
FOR WORLDS CHAMPIONSHIP
Richmond, CAL, to BE Scene OF Forty
ive-round BattIe-Friends of the
BattIer Wonder IL His Stamina Ek
Still There-He Says 1t is-WoIgast
Is also Questioned.

Special TO The Washington Herald.
Richmond, Cal. Feb. 20-From for
lorn hope to the biggest battle held in
California for the past four years Is the
almost magical history of the present
Battling Neison-Ad wolgast contest.
scheduled for Washington's Birthday In
this city. Sid Hester. the young promoter
who has engineered the deal. looms up
to-day as James Coffroth's greatest rival
for the title of premier promoter, and
Tom o'Day, the millionaire contractor,
whose money has enabled Hester to wage
his winning fight, stands IN a fair way
10 make a fortune on the battle.
For weeks the match hung In the air,
both Nelson and Wolgast working every
string possible 10 increase the size OF
the purse. Hester met their demands.
and then for days hunted for a battle
ground, The newspapers and night 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 battle.
1t is the biggest arena ever constructed
for any battle, and will hold 5000 spec
tators Both Nelson and Wolgast are
practically down TO weight. Nelson is at
1874. and will stay that way until two days
before entering the ring. Despite the fact
that Wolgast's manager. Tom Jones. de-
clares that the Cadillac lightweight
weighs an even 134 pounds. JOnn R. Robin
son, Nelson's manager. declares that Vol
CAST scarcely moves the beam at 81.
Robinson is reported TO have spy among
the wolgast followers, and is daily kept
in touch with every move made by the
German. One Of Nelson's sparring part
ners was suspected Of carrying informa-
ton to Jones. and Robinson and Nelson
drove him out of the camp.
Nelson's Stamina Questioned.
rs Nelson's stamina stilI there?' is
the question which is being discussed in
every boxing resort in California. The
| wonderful Danish fighting machine is ad-
mitted on every side to OUtclass Vol
CAST, provided the old stamina is still in
his system. At his best, Nelson is a
4-to-1 bet But years Of hard campaign
ing in the ring may have Slapped the
system of the champion. and. on this
point alone seems TO hang the result OF
the coming battle.
Nelson himself laughs at any such
statement. But it is pointed out and
verified that Cans, MoGoveTn. Sullivan,
! Fitzsimmons, 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 lust as good as ever"
! In training Nelson looks the same. He
is like a streak of lightning. and hits
with the same deadly vim as before.
Moreover, Bat has developed into some
thing of shaTpshooter, and can now pick
out the death spots in a 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 gen.
eral thrown in. He declares that the bet
ting odds. now 10 to in his favor. are
I
good lG-tO-4 proposition against WOlgast.
wOIgast also Confident.
Ad Wolgast is just as confident. The
German lightweight is shorter and
chunkier than Nelson. His arms are big
ger. his chest deeper, and his neck
stronger. There is none of that scrawny
| look that has always characterized the
Dane when he was in perfect condition.
wolgasts skin and complexion are not
as clear as Nelson's, but his followers
! declare this is due to the fact that he is
growing youth and has matured rap
idly.
WoIgast is faster than Nelson. He
| hits oftener and from more angles. He
| is better boxer on the offensive, al
though perhaps not as good a ring gen
eraI as the Dane. His greatest punch
is an overland kidney affair. which has
almost paralyzed his opponents. His
blows are not as heavy as those de-
livered by Nelson. but come faster and
more often.
Wolgast has never fought a great
punisher like Nelson. AS far as ability
to stand punishment is concerned. he is
an unknown quantity His gameness has
never been questioned. and. Ike Nelson.
he has always assumed the offensive
when In the ring. and always kept rush
ing his opponents around the circle He
has never met a performer of Nelson
class or generalship. but many Coast ring
experts believe he is equal to the task
of beating down and wearing out the
man who never before has been even
tired IN the ring,