The New York herald., 1921-01-17
Cans Resigned.

When the gong sounded for the next
round Cans did not move out or his cor
ner and when the referee walked over
to the negro and asked him why he did
not go on with the bout Cans re. lied j
can't see. Mstsh Referee. and l won
fight no NOAH tonight"
Gans's right eye was uninjured and ne
could see very well. Boxers have fought
many rounds with cut over one eye.
The third man in the ring had no op-
ton except to award the verdict to Erne
who was credited with a knockout over
the negro.
1t was later learned that a number of
Gans's closest admirers had wagered on
Erne to win, and while there was no
proof of a fake on the part OF Cans the
bout was quite generally regarded with
suspicion. The fact that cans on De-
cember 13. 1900. nine months after tho
peculiar contest with Erne, engaged in
palpablc fake with McGovern in Ch!-
cago. which practically killed boxing n
the Windy City, strengthened the suspi-
cion that Cans had not boxed on his
merits i'm his encounter with Erne.
1 Cans tried for return engagement
with Erne, but the champion intimatCd
that the negro was a quitter and sug-
gested that he defeat some of the other
good lghtweights before asking for an
other title match.
These retorts angered the negro and
he set about Systematically to get an
other match with Erne. SO eager was
| the negro TO get return bout that for
months he abandoned his favorite pas
time of shooting craps and trained con-
sclentiously for a long period. Yet his
/ challenges were ignored By the cham
/ pion. who seemed content 10 rest on his
/ larrels gained in the twelve round vic
tory.
However. Cans, thoroughly lncensed
/ by the champions sccrnful rejoiuGcrs,
determined he would get into the ring
with the Buffalonian and never relaxed
| his efforts. He finally succeeded in
! December. 1901. in getting Erne's con-
sent to box a six round bout at club
in Philadelphia. the manager OF which
was the late Martin Julian.
Cans on Edge.
AS soon as Cans received word that
the match was agreed to, the negro
started to train with the greatest en-
crgy. When he entered the club in
Philadelphia the negro was trained to
the minute Cans and the crowd waited
in the clubhouse till nearly 10 o'clock
and Ernc had not appeared. Finally
Martin Julian announced that owing to
the non-arrival OF the champion the con-
tcst would be indefinitely postponed
However. the champion had arrived
In Philadelphia. but like the warrior
who marched UP a hill and then marched
right down again, the Buffalo boy did
not remain in Qunkertown long enough
to get acquainted with the villagers
He entered a hotel and was about to
write his name in the registry, when
mn acquaintance walked TO his side and
whispered something In his ear. Erne
dropped the ron. left the hotel and took
tho next train FOR New York. What
tho mysterious stranger whispered in
the car Of the champion was never
ascertained. although IL was hnted that
the message referred to tho physical
perfection Of Cans and his evident de-
sire for revenge
IL was now Gans's turn 10 taunt the
champion with an apparent lack Of
courage, and the negro and his partIsans
never ceased their irritating remarks till
the champion consented to meet Cans In
a title contest. Ernc named the date as
May 12, 1902. and the place as Fort Erie,
Ont. close TO his Buffalo home
Although Erne had won the title from
Lavigne at 1876 pounds, Weighing at 3
r. NJ. the champion had taken on weight.
ana he specified 1876 pounds at +. NJ.
as the weight at which he would ooN
Cans for the title. As the negros nor
NAL fahtlnS weight was 1875 pounds. at
which ngure he could defeat any man
IN the world un 20 1i5 pounds. and sew
etai mldilcweights in the bargain. the
conditions were satisfactory to the chal-
lenger.
Erne was plainly nervous when he
faced Cans I'm the ring and at the OPEN
ing OF the first round the champion en-
ployed all his defensive skill to keep
away from the negro. Cans in his cat
like way glded about after the cham
pion, feinting and occasionally shooting
out a left that failed 20 reach the mark
because OF the excellent footwork on
the part of Frne.
rrne settled down became more con-
fdent and began TO iab with his left.
reaching Cans llrhtly on the face.
Then came the srectaculu finish.
Cans feintcd with his left. a-d Erne
sought 10 beat the negro to the punch
rsut Cans. holding back his left crossed
his right and landed with crashing force
on the champions Jaw. Erne fell like q
log and was counted out. after forty-six
seconds Of boxing in the opening round
The Knockout punch was the only solid
blow landed In the fight
II was the fist time in the history Of
the lightweieht diVision a tffia boidcr