The Washington times., 1910-02-23
By THOMAS S. RICE.

Il must give Jim Jeffries pause when
he reads today the account by rounds OF
the fight in which "a WoIgast Won tl.-
worlds lightweight championship yes
terday from Battling Nelson in forty
rounds at Richmond, Cal, just outside
Of San Francisco.
Nelson had not been in a real cham
pionship bout for eighteen months, but
In that time had fought five or six
bounts Of minor Importance which were
at least good enough 10 make him ex-
tend himself Jeffries has not fought
since August IS, 1904, when he slowed
away Jack Munroe, q period OF about
i've and cne-half years. Nelson gave
every evidence yesterday Of having de-
Perforated in regard 20 punching power,
even II his staying powers We're almost
superhuman. He was not the Nelson
OF old, and when his blows did land they
failed 20 deliver the goods Also his
Judgment or distance could hardly haV 2
been first class-one OF the surest re-
suits Of long layoffs on the part OF a
boxer.
Proposition for jeff
Now the proposition comes: II Nelson,
fighting occasionally fu his eighteen
months as king OF the IiGttweights, and
taking fairly good care OF himself, went
back so far. what will be the condition
Of Jim Jefries when he meets Jack
johnson next July :, after a period o.
inactivity which Will have lasted nearly
six years2 This question is going TO be
the favorite theme OF sporting CONVEX
satiOn from now until Independence
Day. and il would be well 20 think
little before answering IL right of the
bat
The Jeffries contingent viii make this
came prominent n 1893, has taken as
much punishment as any man who ever
entered q ring. He has never been
against an opponent who had any reai
ability who did rot Outlook him and
slug him from ~ldTJ 10 finish. Kid
Sullivan, Of Washington, gave him a
terrible wallOpinE when they met for
six rounds in Baltimore. And so IL was.
even in his easy money bouts against
second raterS Nelson had 10 eat up pun
ishment. Some Of the men he met. like
Young COrbett. Dick Hyland, EDDIE
Hanlon, AursiiO Herrera and Joe Cans
We're notable punchers with many
knOCkOutS, and all Of them reached the
Danes body at Will The only marvel
IS that Nelson lasted as long as ne old
and he viii b. a monumental figure ia
puGilistc history because of his stani-
ina
On the other hand. Jenries has never
been badly beaten in any of his bouts.
He has met no man Of consequence as
big as himself. and when the smaller
and CleVerer men, like COrbett and
boxing ability and CrOuchh0c position
saved his body from those demOraIiZ-
ing wallCps which sap the present er-
ergy and leave a permanent impress
upon the ring constitution Of the puEil-
ist. although seldom impairing the
health.
There ycu are: The DaHe fought
along just about often enough. theo-
81 call hrI ha
ishment; Jefries viii have been out OF
the ring nearly six years, time enough
to become grossly stale, but has always
escaped serious damage 10 the body.
Pay your money and take your choice.
JohnsOn's Position.
Jack johnson represents a peculiar
cross IN conditions between Jehries and
Nelson. johnson has fought about often
enough to keep himself on edge as had
Nelson, but the negro has likewise been
such good defensive boxer that he has
seldom had 10 absorb more soulful
SWatS than were good for his system.
The uncertainty about Johnson because
of his high living is what might be
called an eXtraneOuS element-it will be
Of vast Importance when he meets
Jefries, but there is no way on earth
OF figuring how much the negro has set
himself back in that matter. We are
simply pointing out the deductions to be
drawn from the Nelson-Wolgast bout as
applicable TO the coming battle for the
worlds heavyweight championship.
Incidentally, let il not be foreotteu in
figuring Jeffries and johnson on Nelson
and Wolgast basis that Johnson is a far
better defensive boxer than Nelson. and
granting that Jefries has not drifted
backward in his long rest, that he
should have a much harder time hitting
the negro than V'olgast had I'm landing
on the Dane. which will use up consid-
erable energy that WOlgast did not have
to waste in going after his victim.
Verify the more YOU think of IL the
more you do not know where you stand
on that July affair. and the man who
bets enough to injure his financial
standing will deserve little sympathy.
A Punchless Champion.
Concerning our friend WOlgast. IL
must be said that he is somewhat Of a.