Battling Nelson

http://www.loc.gov/chroniclingamerica/ndnp:1461805/display.html?n=2&scope=fulltext&pageNum=1&currentSort=&mode=list

If I typed that link in properly it should take you to a newspaper account of the famous Gans-Nelson fight from the day after it was fought, and you'll also find some information on the next two pages, as well, if you click 'next page'. Zoom in and you're all set.

 

Just checking that link, I started you out on page three. The coverage starts on the front page, so just go from there.

 

I have the Gans fight. But wait until after Thinksgiving, and stuff(Early Chrismas shoping, and buying the Thinksgiving dinner cost a bit of money lol.

 

Bat Nelson was probably the most durable and athleticaly intense fighter that has ever lived.

He used to average punch outputs of 80+ per round over the course of 45 round fights. He could also take a one sided beatdown from a big puncher over 40+ rounds and still win on durability and stamina.

In all this guy might well have been the toughest fighter that ever breathed.

 

When Bat Nelson defended his title against Ad Wolgast they slugged it out toe to toe for 42 rounds and on film they both average 80+ punches per round acording to Michael Hunnicut.

Obviously you cant do that sort of thing without paying a price and they both ended up as mental basketcases later in life. The sad thing is that despite their ring rivalry they were close friends outside the ring. Their wives both begged them not to make the fight.

 

Nelson's bitter rival, Ad Wolgast ended up just that ,insane training for a fight that had taken place years previously.

 

BIG DEE HERE= Janitor, I hate to tell you this but the wives were the best of friends but Ad Wolgast and Oscar ( Battling ) Nelson were the worst enemies
in the history of the ring as they absolutely hated each others guts.
In my opinion their title fight was the greatest title fight in ring history as it was a brutal, nasty and vicious fight over 40 rds. For the first 20 rds it was anyones fight but Wolgast turned it in his favor after the 25 rd as he really
put it to Nelson. At the end Nelson couldn`t hardly see out of his eyes at all as they were both literally hammered shut. Nelson was ripped with an uppercut that almost removed his head and buckled his knees sending him
to the ropes where he was pounded by Wolgast. Ed Harris who was the referee stepped in to stop it and was told by Nelson. No, No Ed don`t stop it!!
Harris replied I`m your referee Bat not your executioner, It`s over the fights over.

 

I too read that the wives were friends ,whereas the fighters hated one another ,pity really as they were mirror images in some ways.

 

We have several sections devoted to the Battling Dane in the new biography about Joe Gans. We discuss the build-up to the Goldfield fight, include the original telegraph round results, and blow-by-blow descriptions from the Colma fights between Nelson and Gans.