El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-11-12


Battling Nielsen was beaten 20 stand
still and relieved Of his lightweight
title by Ad Wolgast on Richmond field
a year or so ago, the Dane would moi
have il that that was the end of him
as a champion.
He said it was simply an off day
just as it was an off night that other
time when Jimmy Britt got the better
of him at the auditorium in San Fran
cisco.
To make a long story short, the Bat
tier threatened to take rest and then
show the public that he was good foI
many years as ruler Of the profession
in the 133 pound class
Nelson came back into the business a
couple OF months ago. He began agi-
tating for return match with VOL
CAST, and in the meantime stated a
willingness to take on all corners.
He was loudly lauded by the critics
for getting away with Monte Dale in
four rounds at Kansas City. and then
he came to san Francisco and took a
crack at Anton LaGraye, a bruiser Of
mediocre quality, who is known to
fame as the pride of Butchertown.
Was Out of His Class.
The contest went the full Is rounds
and what did it prove? Some Of the
critics declare that Nelson showed
himself to be as good as ever. Others
think there was a falling away, and
the writer is one of those who holds
the latter opinion. At the same time
I do not lose sight of the fact that Mel
son was out Of his class, so far as
weight, strength and size are con-
cerned.
To begin with, what was Battling
Nelson's greatest asset? The answer
is, stamina
In the affair with LaGrave he show
ed that his assimilative qualities are
still unimpaired, but he certainly did
not keep going in the tireless way that
was the wonder Of all who watched
him and all who faced him in the days
when he was still unconquered.
He is always a clean-living fellow
and a careful trainer and any differ
ence in his ability to maintain a full
head Of steam cannot be attributed TO
faults in his habits.
At least that is the way look at it.
and after seeing Nelson start out at a
breakneck clip. in several rounds and
slow up percepfibly toward the end,
came to the conclusion that he had
lost, in a measure, the natural endow-
ment which made him the terror Of the
lightweight class.
III SPSdAAn6 III li4S Wv DSudlLs Ddl
says that he does not think he was
trained as well as usual, and that he
will do better next time. l. for one, am
willing to hold my final judgment un-
til / see him go against a good man
Of his own poundage.
Nelson hit more wildly than I have
ever seen him, and in this connection
he says that lack of practice with the
gloves affected his judgment of dis
tance.
Now, judgment of distance in. ny
idea, is a thing that doesn't enter into
the pugilistic economy of a headlong
fighter like Nelson. 1t is of nice value
10 a clever fellow who wants to hit
and get away, but with a man who
keeps piling in. it SENS to me that he
is pretty nearly always within strik-
ing distance.
Not Errors of Judgment.
For that matter, I saw Nelson's
gloves whizzing past La Graves ears
and curling around the back of La
Graves head, so that it could hardly
be errors in judgment Of distance that
caused the Dane to miss connections.
To be frank about it, while I am will
ing to admit that Nelson may be able
to maintain faster and steadier pace
if better conditioned, 1 can only &C
count Tor MS iaulty punching on the
score that his muscles are not as flex-
ible as in former fights and that his
fists viii not go in the direction he
wishes TO send them.
Nelson is troubled in a great meas
ure with the vanity which is the beset-
ting sin of all fighters who have at
tanned great heights and have begun
to decline. He is cock sure that he is as
good as ever, but he certainly is not.
The one thing that sticks to him is
his ability to take a fearful lacing,
and in this particular direction he has
not begun to display signs OF wear and
tear With this wonderful endurance
still intact, he is likely to be a terror
to aspiring 1ightweights for year or
two.
Entitled to Return Match.
He is entitled probably to a return
match with Wolgast, but doubt on his
showing with LaGrave. whether he
will be a favorite if ever the match is
arranged
AS to LaGrave, while he is deserving