Question About Eddie Sterns vs Battling Nelson

Did this fight happen?

Boxrec has it listed as the first fight Nelson ever got knocked out in. It was early in Nelson's career, before his famous 3 fight series with Joe Gans.

Problem is, I can't find ANYTHING on this fight's existence. In my research of the Durable Dame, I was lead to this quote, after the brain-damaged, shot Nelson fought the upcoming contender Owen Moran:

"For the first time in his career, Battling Nelson, the "durable Dane", a shell of the once great pugilist, was knocked out today beyond all dispute by Owen Moran, the sturdy lad from Birmingham, England, in the presence of one of the largest crowds of spectators ever assembled at a glove contest in this city."

Moran goes on to quote:

"I always knew I could turn the trick and you bet I feel proud to have been the first man to put Nelson out. Now I want Wolgast. The sooner the match can be made, the better."

For anyone thinking about Wolgast, Wolgast never actually dropped Nelson.

I know that the further back you go, the more unreliable Boxrec becomes, and I know that stories in general are various, especially about Nelson himself. I've seen sources saying the DQ against Gans was highly disputed, and sources saying the DQ was an obvious, unanimously agreed on good call. I've seen sources saying the ref stopped the Nelson vs Wolgast fight in the 43rd round and the 40th.

So do any of you have any insight on whether or not Nelson vs Sterns actually happened? Or maybe boxrec reported it wrong? Boxrec itself doesn't have any info on the fight besides the KO in the 9th.

 

Really? No takers?