EX-CHAMPION NELSON OUTCLASSES NIXON
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After Third Round, When Cambridge Boy's Eye Was Closed, the Battler Had Things All His Own Way. Referee Stops It in the Tenth.
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Battling Nelson "came back," in a measure, as Referee Jack Sheehan found it necessary to stop his bout with Billy Nixon in the tenth round at the Armory A. C. last night. Nixon made a game up hill fight after having his left eye closed in the third round, but it was the old story of a fighter against a boxer. Nixon is entitled to considerable credit for his game effort, but he never had a chance against the ex-lightweight champion.There was an overflow attendance at the Armory A. A., every seat being occupied, and the crowd, while naturally with Nixon, soon realized that it was a question of whether he would stay the limit. Nelson was charitable and clean in his efforts as a boxer and did not rely on butting.
The Battler was a joke, so far as judging distance was concerned, and admitted that fact in his dressing room after the bout. He said that he needed more experience against men who could box him in the open.
To sum the bout up, Billy Nixon made a flash in the first three rounds and was willing enough to mix, but when Nelson started to bore in and rip in his vicious uppercuts and landed a wicked right that closed Nixon's eye the Cambridge boxer was severely handicapped, but did not lose his nerve.
Nelson Had Nixon Helpless.
When the bout was stopped after the tenth round had gone less than a minute, Nixon was helpless and was being pounded unmercifully by the Battler, and it was an act of good judgment upon the part of Referee Sheehan to stop hostilities, as Nixon was hopelessly outclassed.
Nelson took some punishment himself, but did not have a mark as he left the ring. He was apparently perfectly willing to take two blows to deliver one. He is not the same old Dane that sent Joe Gans into oblivion, and at times his wild swings made him look like a novice. Nelson stated in his dressing room after the bout: "I was wild in some of my swings and missed by distance, but I am more than convinced that I am far from a 'has been.' This boy Nixon is about as game as they make them and is a lot better than the boys who are challenging Wolgast for the title."
Nelson showed that he had a good, straight left lead and could also shoot over a right cross while defending himself in a clinch. His footwork was somewhat slovenly. When he found he had missed a lead he fell into his old-time clinch with his head resting on Nixon's shoulder, willing to take a walloping with a chance to deliver a punch that would count twice as much as the one received.
Nelson is far from being "all in" as a fighter, judging from his exhibition last night, but he needs a lot more practice as a boxer. The stamina is there, as he clearly wore down a much more youthful opponent in Nixon, who was trained to the minute, but was like a child in the hands of a bear when the real test came.
There was not a knockdown during the entire bout, and Nixon was not badly distressed after the bout was stopped. He said he had never met a man who could inflict such punishment as Nelson gave him.
In the ninth round it was apparent that the end was near, and Nelson, as he sat in his corner, remarked to his seconds: "I guess that I'll end it in the next round." He did, as Nixon was helpless when the bout was stopped.
Hall Bests Joe Nelson.
The semi-final bout between Henry Hall, the local colored boxer and former A. A. U. middleweight champion, and Joe Nelson of Lawrence was won by Hall. It was a stubbornly fought contest and Nelson fought himself to his limit, but the colored boxer possessed both stamina and science and was clearly entitled to the decision.
In the preliminaries Frankie O'Connor knocked out Young Rodie in one round, and the bout between Bill Corrigan and Cy Goodwin was won by Goodwin, Corrigan being disqualified on a foul in the fourth round.
The program announced for next week is: Buck Crouse v. Young Loughrey, twelve rounds; Jerry Gaines v. Bob Le Favor, eight rounds; Renie Riley of South Boston v. Young Troy of Melville, R. I., six rounds; Tom Flanagan v. Mark Spencer, six rounds.
1911-09-20 The Denver Post (Denver, CO) (page 11)
Nelson Defeats Nixon in Tenth
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Battler Has Opponent Helpless When Referee Stops Contest.
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Boston, Sept. 20.--Battling Nelson, though battling for a dozen years or more, made his initial appearance in a real contest in this city last night. He met and conquered a local lightweight by the name of Billy Nixon, Referee Jack Sheehan stopping the contest and declaring Nelson the winner in the tenth. Nelson only showed fair form, and it is doubted by the majority that he will ever be able to regain his lost laurels. To those who were acquainted with him, the battler appeared to have lost much of the form that had made him famous.For the first three rounds Nixon held Nelson even, but after that the local boy appeared to fear the ex-champion.
Nelson's judge of distance was poor. In the clinches he was most effective. He knew too much for Nixon when they were in close and his body punching took the starch out of the local boy.
Bat simply put his head down and bored in in the old familiar way, the way that won him a championship. He was given an ovation at the end of the fight, which he finished in good shape, looking fit to go many rounds more.
Nelson closed Nixon's right eye in the third round and that member stayed shut for the remainder of the contest. In the seventh, eighth and ninth rounds the battler pummeled Nixon about the body in a terrific manner and was seldom hit in return.
After they boxed about a half minute in the tenth round the referee saw that Nixon's chances for winning were gone and that it was useless for him to take a licking when he couldn't return one. He then stepped between them while they were clinched and declared the Battler the winner.
Nelson is scheduled to meet James Saylor of Indianapolis and Matty Baldwin of Boston in this city within the next month. Experts who saw him perform tonight figure that he may beat both Saylor and Baldwin.
1911-09-20 The Evening Times (Pawtucket, RI) (page 4)
BATTLING NELSON WINS OVER NIXON
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"Durable Dane" Has Not Lost His Punch--Gives Opponent Bad Beating.
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(Special to the Times.)
BOSTON, Sept. 20.--Battling Nelson, the "durable Dane," has not lost his punching ability, nor his powers of assimilation. Before a crowd that packed the Armory A. A., last night the battler beat Billy Nixon of Cambridge into submission in 10 rounds, Referee Jack Sheehan mercifully stopping the bout 15 seconds after the start of the 10th round to save Nixon, who was staggering around the ring in a helpless condition, from a knock-out.
Nelson showed that there is not much danger of his coming back, but it will take a tough chap with a good rugged punch to beat him, for last night he displayed all of his old bulldog courage and after he had taken the best that Nixon could give him in the first five rounds without at times even attempting to block the blows, Nelson slowly beat down the Cambridge lad until he won the bout.
The Dane's victory was not very popular, for he is one of the roughest customers that fans of the East ever saw. He makes use of his elbows, the heel of his glove and even his head at close quarters, and while at most times he was careful enough not to transgress the rules too openly, Referee Sheehan had to warn him once or twice.
Nixon proved game, but it was plain to see that he had no chance with the veteran lightweight. Nixon had a snappy left hand lead that often went through Nelson's guard, while his right hand punches often staggered Nelson. The crowd always cheered when Nixon made one of these rallies, but they forgot that almost every man Nelson has boxed has found him easy to hit, but hard to hurt. This was the case last evening, for after being on the receiving end for the first part of the round Nelson would get in close and do considerable execution upon Nixon's face and body with short jolts.
The men boxed under straight Queensbury rules, protecting themselves at all times, and of course this was a great help to Nelson. Nixon foolishly tried to meet Nelson halfway at infighting, despite repeated admonitions from his corner, and after the fourth round, when his eye was closed, the Cambridge boy wilted fast.
Nelson, who had been boxing at close quarters, then stood off and tried to put over a knockout, but he showed a lamentable lack of judgment, and his right swings invariably missed the mark. When he found that he could not score at long range, however, Nelson came into clinches, and then the boring boxer had things his own way.
Up to the ninth round, Nixon continued to get weaker, although occasionally he made a spurt and dashed in with a right or left to the face or jaw. He could not stop the Battler, however, who kept forcing him about the ring, sending stiff jabs and swings to the face and jaw. Nixon did more clinching only to get more punishment.
That Nixon was certain to be defeated was evident to the fans, but they figured he would go the limit. Near the close of the ninth round, Nixon went into a clinch, and when the referee ordered them to break Nixon had his left arm around Nelson's neck. He started to pull it away when Nelson whipped over the stiff left hand blow that is claimed to be the low one.
Nixon doubled up for an instant, and as he straightened again Nelson shot another left to the stomach. The round ended before the Battler could follow up his advantage.
The minute's rest in the corner did not help Nixon any and when he answered the sound of the bell for the 10th round he was in a bad way. The Battler started in to finish up the job and was in a fair way of doing so when the referee stopped the contest and declared Nelson the winner. The Battler looked and acted as fresh as when he started and made a short speech.
The men boxed according to straight Queensbury rules, which was a good thing for Nelson. The latter had several pounds on Nixon.
In the preliminary Frankie O'Connor, who boxes like K. O. Brown, stopped Young Roach in the first round. Cy Goodwin, who met Billy Corrigan of Cambridge in the second bout, was lucky to be the winner. In the fourth Corrigan used his elbow and was disqualified.
The semi-final between Henry Hall and Joe Nelson of Lawrence was a warm bout. Hall got the decision.
The programme for the meeting next Tuesday night includes a 12-round bout between Buck Crouse and Young Loughrey. The preliminaries will be between Tommy Flanagan vs. Mark Spencer, R. Riley vs. Young Troy and Jerry Gaines vs. Bob Lefavour.
1911-09-20 The Evening Tribune (Providence, RI) (page 6)
Nelson Batters His Way to Victory in the Tenth
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Gave Billy Nixon Bad Beating in Bout at Boston and Referee Stopped It.
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Boston, Sept. 20.--Battling Nelson, former lightweight champion, defeated Billy Nixon in the 10th round of a scheduled 12-round bout at the Armory A. A. last night. It was one of the most gruelling contests ever witnessed in Boston.The end virtually came in the ninth round, when Nelson caught Nixon with a full left swing squarely in the pit of the stomach, just before the bell rang announcing the end of the round. Nixon came up for the 10th round, but was in no condition to continue and Jack Sheehan, who refereed the bouts last night, stopped the contest when it was plainly evident that Nixon was hopelessly outclassed.
In all the fast going there was not a knockdown scored by either boxer, although Nelson came very near taking the mat at least three times in the match. Nixon did splendid work against his ever aggressive, hard-headed opponent and for five rounds he could be given the best of the contest.
Nelson assumed the style that made his famous throughout the country, but it failed to create a good impression with the Boston fans. The Battling Dane had everything his own way as far as rules were concerned, Nixon agreeing to box straight Marquis of Queensberry style, which proved a big handicap to him.
NIXON FASTER THAN NELSON.
At clean boxing Nixon was Nelson's master. Nixon was faster than Nelson in every way, but he foolishly allowed himself to be invited into close quarters, where Nelson brought into play his ring experience. Nelson did the forcing, but Nixon could hit the ex-champion almost any time and anywhere he pleased. Nelson missed several blows, while Nixon scored with rights and lefts to the head and jaw. The contest was far from convincing the fans that Nelson can hold his own with a good-seasoned fighter. At roughing and mauling he is a past master, but when it comes to the real art of boxing Nelson does not being to compare with many other fighters who have appeared in the Armory A. A. ring.
1911-09-20 The Evening World (New York, NY) (page 12)
NELSON STOPS BILLY NIXON BY LOW BLOW IN HUB
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Ex-Champion Victor in Ten Rounds, Referee Declaring Punch Fair.
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(Special to The Evening World.)
BOSTON, Sept. 20.--Fifteen seconds after the start of the tenth round in the bout between Battling Nelson, ex-lightweight champion, and Billy Nixon of Cambridge at the Armory A. A. Referee Sheehan parted the boxers and, sending both to their corners, declared Nelson the winner.
Nixon had no chance and would have probably been knocked out before the round ended.
The battle that Nelson put up did not show he was a comeback, but it will take a rugged fellow with a good punch to whip him.
The Battler did not box fair according to the rules. Nixon was examined by a physician after the bout and it was shown that he had been hit low in the ninth round.
The referee declared that the punch referred to was fair. There were those at the ring side who thought otherwise. Nelson, however, had Nixon beaten, but the latter might have gone through the twelve rounds had he not received the punch.
Nixon showed poor judgment in the way he boxed. Instead of stepping around he preferred to take Nelson at his own style, which is at close quarters.
For the first five rounds Nixon outboxed Nelson. Several times he straightened up the Battler with right and left to the jaw. Nixon often sent straight lefts to Nelson's face, hooking the left to the jaw and following it with right to the same place.
Up to the ninth round Nixon continued to get weaker, although he occasionally made a spurt and dashed in with a right or left to the face or jaw. He could not stop the Battler, however, who kept forcing him about the ring, sending stiff jabs and swings to the face and jaw. Nixon did more clinching only to get more punishment.
