Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-09


the great Negro lightweight
Godfeld you missed the connection, the Nevada
mining town where Cans first lightweight title bout
with Nelson of the rings ame classics, fought
foul in the AID round and the conversation this
particular night got around to that topic
Cans told he hit Nelson with every punch in the book
frankie related "He said he hit Bat right the button
knocked him back about six feet but he just took
and waded back in for more"
I'm THE s7th ROUND Cans hit Nelson in the body so
hard blood spured from Bats mouth Mann continued Joe
said he turned to Referee George Ser and asked him
it. Nelson wouldn't let him. He wanted
said his legs gone Them in the AID round ser dis
qualified Bat for a foul punch.
Nelson always said it kidney punch, not foul"
frankie pointed out He able sraighten out
his left because of old injury he developed the
kidney punch, hook"
Both men the hospital week after the fight
but not long after Cans esped Nelson walking down Market
street San Francisco Joe wanted to talk about the fight
and the title he'd from Frank Erne and retained
Goldfed.
Cans" Nelson said to his rival you didn't win I'll stop
you inside of 20 rounds the next time and can't wait to get
back in there with you"
THAT remark Cans told his three visitors from Wash
ington, made chills up my spine"
NELSON WON THE RETURN bout in San Francisco by
a knockout rounds satisfied he'd never win
again. he Before their fight
he made $4,000 bet that he would last least
against Bat Joe made it to the 21 and them his bet
and realizing he couldn't win, took the count
Ironically Nelson later told Sports Coumnist Grantand
Rice the 18th round of the second Cans hit him
in the side so hard with right hand he thought he'd been
knitted
Il wanted to cry, it hurt much" he told Rice
The Goldfed fight Tex Richards first boxing pro-
motion Tex had lot of property in the he wanted to
dispose Of and figured fight the best attract
prospects. But his wire to Billy Nolan Nelson's
Offering $4,000 for the fighters to divide
believe. The telegram thought a
practical joke until Richard had photograph
of the money under guard Godfeld saloon window did
the managers consent to talk business with him.
CANS ALWAYS BLAMED Nelson for his sickness in later
years frankie said. BAT made him weigh in three times
believe it II am then o'clock and again
brought the tuberculosis that eventually
death And Melons inSstence getting $230 of the
purse led to bitter lifelong feud with Richard"
What sort of fighter Nelson?
Like Steve Mamakos," replied Mann referring to
Washngons Golden Greek weterweght of the 1905 He
took everything you had and down. got
started before IL IS rounds and then he could
The Durable Dane wasn't geared for the short fights
nowadays Mann remembers six Baltimore
between Nelson and the late Kid Sullivan of Washington
AL Herford, who managed Cans also handled Sulivans
business and he afraid Bat would knock his
he made bargain that if both their
end of six rounds it would be called draw.
EARLY THE BOUT, however, Sullivan knocked Nelson
through the ropes did beat the
the decision but went into the book
a a draw, agreement.
Nelson great puncher. Like Mamakos he'd bruise
opponent, chop him up and him down. He wasn't
the reespendng good time Charlie stories made him
be. He worked too hard for his money might
have been of those beings who immune to
pain Almost freak. But in ring history he has niche
all his
AS Cans said, it made chills run up his spine just
thinking about him.