Boxing History: The Night When the Hands of Stone Dulled The Blade

 

By Peter Silkov

Twenty seven years ago today, Roberto Duran performed his last act of greatness within the roped square.  He had been an all-time great World lightweight champion during most of the '70s, then crowned his greatness by moving up in weight, and beating Sugar Ray Leonard, for the World welterweight title. At that point, after he had become the first man to defeat Leonard (he would be the only man to ever beat the 'peak' Leonard) Duran was untouchable, a living legend already, and undisputedly, the best fighter pound-4-pound in the world, bar none.  But, it didn't last.

Barely 5 months later, an ill-prepared Duran lost the welterweight title back to Leonard, in the now infamous 'no mas' fight.  Duran was forsaken overnight by many supposed friends and followers. The fighter, who many regarded as a God, was insulted, and ridiculed. His reputation and legacy was a tattered ruin.  Losses to Wilfred Benitez and Kirkland Laing continued his slide, and he was labelled a has been, and much worse, some even questioned whether he had ever been as great as they once thought. Then a funny thing happened, Duran was a champion again. 

Duran won a third world championship against the very talented, but inexperienced, Davey Moore, with a performance that made people remember the fighter he had been in the 70s and in his first clash with Sugar Ray Leonard.  Then Duran took on the new pound-4-pound, number one in the world, undisputed World middleweight champion, Marvin Hagler. Although Roberto was beaten, Duran became the first challenger to take Hagler the distance, in what was such a close fight, that Hagler needed to rally in the last 3 rounds to keep his title.  He had made Hagler look human. Suddenly Duran was great again, and most people now looked at 'No Mas' as an aberration. After his great performance against Hagler, in his next fight, Duran was knocked out in 2 rounds by Thomas Hearns, but few could hold it against 'Hands Of Stone.  After all he was now 32 and even great fighters don't last forever. Duran retired, after the Hearns loss, with his greatness unquestioned. 

 However, Duran would rival Frank Sinatra, for the number of retirements and comebacks he would make during his boxing career.  Two years after losing to Hearns, Roberto was back, again, fighting a series of contests against a range of opponents. The best fighter that Duran faced during his early comeback fights was Robbie Sims, Marvin Hagler's half brother.  Sims beat Duran on a split decision, and although many thought Duran had done enough to win, the fight and Duran's performance, seemed to underline that his championship days were now well and truly over.

When Duran was given a shot at Iran Barkley's WBC world middleweight championship on February 24, 1989, most thought 'Hands of Stone' had little chance of victory against 'The Blade.' The 'Stone Hands' were 37 years old now, the spark and dynamite were gone, and the speed was just a memory.  Then came the night of the fight, and corny though it may sound, the spectators at the Atlantic City Convention Center, and the audience watching the fight on TV, saw a sporting miracle. It was the kind of performance that happens very rarely in sport. Duran was young again. Duran, the shorter, older, smaller man, went toe-to-toe with Barkley, and using all the wily skills and experience he had gathered during his career. He summoned up an almost otherworldly level of fitness and determination, Duran out-thought and out-fought Barkley in one of the best World middleweight title fights ever seen. The spark was back, there was venom in his punches, and a speed and sharpness in his movement. At 37 years old, Roberto fought like a man in his 20s; like the Duran of 10 years ago.  'Stone hands' clinched his victory by flooring, a by now battered and bloodied, Barkley in the 11th round. By the 12th round, even Barkley's body language seemed to signal that he knew he had been beaten.

Duran won by a split decision, but anyone watching that night would tell you that there could only have been one winner that night. It was a night when a short, slightly pudgy, and bearded ex-world lightweight champion, became the first Latin American to win 4 world titles. Duran was great again. Duran's reign as WBC world middleweight champion would be short, he vacated the title in order to take a 3rd match with Sugar Ray Leonard, but it didn't matter, he had done more than enough on that night of February 24, 1989. Some fighters’ greatness can be seen encapsulated in one fight. They are fights where the fighter in question has to reach into and display nearly all those aspects of himself that go into making him a great fighter. They are fights, when watched, you will say to yourself, “yes I can see it.”  For Muhammad Ali, it was his first fight with Liston.  The no. 3 meeting of Foreman and Frazier it was there.  For Roberto Duran, watch Dejesus 2 and 3, Leonard 1,  Hagler,  and Barkley.

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Copyright © 2016 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com

Boxing History: Tony Janiro

Remembering....Tony Janiro

Tony Janiro was a ‘Golden boy’ of the ring; a good looking boxer who was overflowing with talent, with fast hands and swift feet, he seemed to have everything he needed to take him to the very top.  But, Janiro fought at a time when the competition was intense, and world titles were not simply given away, no matter how popular or good looking you were.  Yet despite his youthful features, Janiro could really fight as well as box. He wasn’t a big puncher, but he had a good chin and plenty of heart, which he would display numerous times during a colourful and exciting career.  If Janiro had one major flaw it was his love of the night life and the ladies outside the ring. Eventually his fast living away from the ring, coupled by too many tough fights inside the ring, led to him burning out at an age where many fighters are approaching their peaks.

Janiro was born on October 27, 1927, in Springdale, Pennsylvania, (he would later live in Youngstown, Ohio.)  He was a talented amateur boxer, winning the Intercity Golden Gloves Championship, and before he turned 16 years old,  the Chicago Golden Gloves tournament of champions at featherweight in 1943. In that same year, just two months after his 16th birthday, Janiro turned professional.

Today a boxer with Janiro’s potential would be wrapped up in cotton wool and brought along very slowly and carefully, but in the 1940s there was no getting away from having to fight your way to the top.  Starting his career as a lightweight, Janiro boxed 29 times in his first 12 months as a professional, winning all, except one contest, a 6-rounds point’s defeat to Al Guido, which was avenged two months later.

By 1946 Janiro was ranked amongst the top welterweights in the world, but he started taking on middleweights due to the fact that many of the top welters were refusing to fight him.  By 1947, still not yet 20 years old, Janiro had fought 67 contests.  Janiro’s opposition was made up from many of the top welterweights and middleweights in the world.  Janiro fought Johnny Greco, Tony Pellone, Beau Jack, Jake Lamotta, Laverne Roach, Lou Valles, Henry Hall, Rocky Castellani, Charley Fusari, Rocky Garziano, Sonny Levitt, Kid Gavilan, Fitzie Pruden, Laurent Dauthuille, and Charles Humez. 

Despite his success and activity, Janiro would never gain a shot at a world title.

In 1950 Janiro had two fights with former World middleweight champion Rocky Graziano, and with victory, there would be a possibility of a world title shot.  Janiro held Rocky to a draw in their first match on March 31, 1950, after 10 exciting rounds.  7 months later, Graziano won a point’s decision after another furiously fought 10-rounder.

After dropping the decision to Graziano, Tony lost 3 of his next four contests, before meeting Graziano for a 3rd time, on September 19, 1951.  Janiro needed a win, and gave a stirring display as he used his boxing skills to pile up a early lead, but Rocky produced a storming finish in the last round to hurt a tiring Janiro, causing the referee to controversially stop the fight in Graziano’s favour in the 10th and final round.. This was Janiro’s first stoppage defeat.  It was the end of Janiro’s career as a top liner, and the end of his hopes of challenging for a world title.  Janiro had two more fights, being stopped in 4 rounds by Kid Gavilan, then, on June 30, 1952, after a 6 month lay off, he was stopped in 4 rounds by Charles Humez, when  his corner threw in the towel after the 3rd round.  Janiro retired at 24, with a final record of 80(26koes)-15-2. 

In his later years, Tony worked as a bartender.  He died on February 21, 1985, at 57 years old.

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Copyright © 2016 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com

Boxing History: Harry 'Kid' Matthews

Remembering....Harry 'Kid' Matthews

Harry Matthews

Harry Matthews was a talented fighter with good boxing skills, who during his professional career, fought from lightweight to heavyweight.  Born on December 9, 1922, in Emmett, Idaho, and turned professional in 1937.  By 1940, Matthews was a full-fledged middleweight. In 1942, a victory and a draw against former World middleweight champion, Al Hostak, put Matthews into the rankings, but defeats to Jack Chase, and Eddie Booker dented his progress. Matthews then joined the US army, and did not fight again until 1946.

Rocky Marciano Vs. Harry Matthews

On his return to the ring, Matthews was winning fights yet, finding it hard to progress up the rankings or earn good money, until wily manager, Jack Hurley, took him on in 1949.  Hurley changed Matthews’ style, from a safety first boxer, to a more aggressive fighter, and the victories started coming in quicker, and Matthews became an attraction.  Matthews put together a long winning run, which saw him climb up the rankings, as he moved up to light-heavyweight and then, heavyweight.  A victory over Rex Layne on May 19, 1952 put Matthews on the edge of a shot at the World heavyweight title, but a 2nd round knockout defeat two months later to Rocky Marciano took him out of the title picture.

Don Cockell & Harry Matthews

Matthews put together some more wins, but his hopes of a world title shot were ended for good when he suffered 3 defeats to England’s Don Cockell. He was out-pointed twice and then stopped in their third meeting. 

Matthews won his final 4 fights, including a 10 rounds victory over former World heavyweight champion, Ezzard Charles.  Matthews’ last fight was a 10-rounds point’s win over Alvin Williams, on November 9, 1956.  His final record was 90(61koes)-7-6.

Harry Matthews died on February 21, 2003, at 80 years old. 

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Copyright © 2016 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com

Boxing History: "Chief" Eugene Parris

Remembering…"Chief" Eugene Parris

DECEMBER 8, 1911 – FEBRUARY 14, 1993

Chief Parris was a tough and clever boxer who fought some of the best welterweights and middleweight of the 1930s.  Born Richard Eugene Parris, on December 8, 1911, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Parris, was a Native American Indian, (his mother was full Cherokee Indian, while his father was half Irish, half Cherokee) and fought under the name of Chief Parris.  His colourful character and style soon made him a popular fighter amongst the boxing fans.  "Chief" Eugene Parris grew up in Allowee, Oklahoma, where his family became known as the only ‘Indian’ family in town. This is where his introduction to boxing happened, when a carnival came to town, and he coaxed someone into signing his father’s name so he could box since he was underage. He won his first fight at this carnival and shortly afterwards started traveling the Southwest boxing professionally.

During a professional career, which ran from 1932 to 1939, Parris fought an impressive array of top welterweights, including Baby Manuel, Midget Mexico, Cowboy Eddie Anderson, Wild Cat Monte, George Salvadore, Alvin Lewis, Harry Dublinsky, Al Manfredo, Ceferino Garcia, Young Peter Jackson, and Al Hostak.

Chief Parris’ last fight was on March 28, 1939, when Ceferino Garcia knocked him out in the 3rd round.  Parris final record was 59(18koes)-23-12.

When asked about his longevity, Parris, who ran 6 miles a day and lived a clean life.

""I never drank or smoked," he said. "I watched what I ate. I only ate two times a day.

"I always went to church every Sunday and kept good company. I didn't care which denomination I went to. There's only one God and only one heaven, and we'll all go there some day."

He gave up boxing because, "A boxer only has so many fights in him.”"

After his boxing career was over, Chief Parris returned Oklahoma City, and became an iron worker. Parris became a trainer and trained three National Amateur champions, Alvin Williams, Jack McCann, and Hershal Action.  Chief Parris died on February 14, 1993, at the age of 81. 

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 Copyright © 2016 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com

Boxing History: Thomas 'Pedlar' Palmer: The Box O' Tricks

Remembering...Thomas 'Pedlar' Palmer
September 25, 1876 - February 13, 1949

Thomas ‘Pedlar’ Palmer was one of the cleverest and most scientifically adapt boxers ever to come out of Britain.  He was one of the earliest East End boxing celebrities, and his life story reads like a novel, with him rising from poverty to fame and riches by the time he was 20 years old, and then losing it all.  Palmer’s fall from stardom and success was as quick as his rise.

Palmer was born in Canning Town, London, on September 25, 1876.  His father had been a very useful bare-knuckle fighter and Palmer showed from an early age that he was a natural talent for fighting.  Although he made his official professional debut in 1891, while aged 15, Palmer had a number of fights previously to that, mostly with bare knuckles, that has not been recorded.

After turning professional, Palmer soon showed himself to be an outstanding talent.  He had great speed with both his hands and his feet, and his cleverness and dexterity in the ring gained him the nickname, ‘The Box O’ Tricks.’ 

On May 1, 1892, while still not 17 years old, Palmer won the British 102 pound title,  (this was before the official introduction of the flyweight division into boxing) with a 17th round knockout of Walter Croot.  Palmer became one of the biggest stars in British boxing and a darling of the National Sporting Club, which was then the centre of British boxing.

After making several successful defences of his British 102 pound title, Palmer moved up in weight to the bantamweight division, and on November 25, 1895, defeated Billy Plimmer on a disqualification in 14 rounds, to win the British version of the World Bantamweight championship.  Plimmer was disqualified when his brother entered the ring, just as Billy was dazed and in trouble from a Palmer attack.  Palmer became the first boxer to win a world title via a disqualification, and also at the age of 19 and 2 months, the youngest boxer ever to win the Bantamweight world championship.

This was a time when England and America had their own World bantamweight champions, and opinion was divided over who was the superior.  But, Palmer’s successful defences of his title over the next 3 years, over top men such as, Johnny Murphy, Ernie Stanton, Dave Sullivan, and Billy Plimmer (again), gained support for Palmer being the true number one in the bantamweight division.

During this time, Palmer gained the reputation for living as fast a life outside of the ring, as he did inside of it.  He enjoyed the nightlife, gambling, drinking, and womanizing, and eventually this devil-may-care lifestyle away from the ring, would have implications for his career inside of it.

Palmer’s world came crashing down on September 12, 1899, when he traveled to America to fight America’s top bantamweight, ’Terrible’ Terry McGovern in New York.  After having a distracted training camp in which he was troubled by the continual harassment of the American journalists, and having trouble making the weight, Palmer was demolished by McGovern in the 1st round, losing his world title, and much of his former prestige.  Although Palmer would carry on boxing at the top level for another 6 years, and would still produce some memorable performances and victories, his best years were behind him after his defeat by McGovern.  He was never quite the same mercurial boxer again.

Palmer won the British Bantamweight title (billed at the time as the English 116 pound title) on May 28, 1900, with a 15-round point’s win over Harry Ware, but then lost the title back to Ware five months later, when he was out-pointed over 20 rounds.

Palmer’s form became patchy as the 1900s progressed, with him going 16-8-3 in the 27 contests he had after losing his bantamweight title to Ware.  Yet during this time, Palmer still produced some flashes of brilliance to defeat fighters such as Digger Stanley, George Dixon, Spike Robson, and Harry Ware.

In 1904, Palmer traveled to South Africa and won the South African featherweight title, when he out-pointed W.J. ’Watty’ Austin over 20 rounds.  One of Palmer’s last great performances was on March 20 1905, when he challenged Joe Bowker for the British featherweight title, and also the British version of the World featherweight title, and was stopped in the 12th round of a thrilling contest.

In 1907, Palmer’s world collapsed completely when he was jailed for 5 years for manslaughter, after an altercation with a fellow passenger on a train ended with the death of Robert Choat from a blow to the head.  Palmer was imprisoned until 1911, and then made a brief return to the ring, but most of his former brilliance was long gone, and after wins over mediocre opposition, he was stopped in 4 rounds by old foe Digger Stanley on November 19, 1914.  Palmer fought just once more after the Stanley defeat, when on March 10, 1919 he met another veteran, Jim Driscoll, and was stopped in the 4th round.  Palmer’s final ring record is 46(5koes)-14-4, although he is likely to have had many other contests which have not been recorded.

Palmer died in Brighton, on February 13, 1949, at the age of 72 years old.  

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Copyright © 2016 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com

Boxing History: Cowboy Eddie Anderson: The Wyoming Cowboy

Remembering...Cowboy Eddie Anderson
October 10, 1906 – February 12, 1970

Cowboy Eddie Anderson was a colourful, rugged fighter, who was born on October 10, 1906, in Wyoming. Although not a big puncher, Anderson was a strong fighter with a great stamina and a huge heart, and in his prime, was a formidable opponent for the very best. Anderson was born Edward Alfred Anderson, and turned professional in 1920, at 14 years old. From the beginning of his career, Anderson was fighting top opposition, and in a 16 year career, Anderson would fight many of the top names from bantamweight to welterweight.

Anderson fought top fighters such as Abe Goldstein, Memphis Pal Moore, Sammy Mandell, Mike Dundee, Frankie Garcia, Eddie Coulon, Red Herring, Ray Miller, Bushy Graham, Benny Bass, Joe Glick, Andre Routis, Babe Herman, Johnny Jadick, Tony Canzoneri, Mike Dundee, Eddie Martin, Sammy Dorfman, Danny Kramer, Eddie Mack, Tracy Cox, Ah Wing Lee, King Tut, and Kid Azteca.

Anderson was ranked highly at lightweight during the mid and late 1920s, and in 1926, had the honour of appearing on the front of “The Ring” magazine. Yet, despite his high ranking, and the quality of his opposition, he had just one aborted attempt at a world title. Anderson was due to challenge Benny Bass on June 10, 1930, for Bass’s World Junior Lightweight championship, but the fight lost it’s world title status when Anderson was unable to make the 130-pound weight limit, being overweight by a quarter of a pound. The two men instead fought a non-title fight, and Bass knocked out the weight drained Anderson in 3 rounds.

Anderson’s final fight was a 4th round knockout defeat to Bobby Venner, on September 23, 1936, he retired with a record of 137(30koes)-85-44.

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 Copyright © 2016 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com

Boxing History: Willie Meehan

Remembering…Willie Meehan
December 25, 1893 – February 9, 1953

Willie Meehan was an extraordinary fighter, who fought in every weight division from flyweight to heavyweight, against some of the greatest fighters of his era.  Meehan was one of the great characters of the ring, who spurned the idea of training, and special diets. His rise in weight wasn’t due to an increase in muscle, but an incongruous increase in his waistline. By the time Willie had grown into a heavyweight of about 190 pounds, his 5’ ft.  9”in.  body was portly in the extreme.
His physique resembled an early Tony Galento (with hair) but, rather than being a bar room brawler, type of slugger like Galento, Meehan was a clever and tricky boxer. He had speed that belied his build, and a huge collection of tricks with which to befuddle and exasperate his opponents. 

Meehan was born Eugene Walcott on December 25, 1893, in San Francisco, California, and began his boxing career in 1909 when just one month past his 15th birthday.

During his career, Meehan fought such outstanding fighters as Rufe Turner, Frank Mantell, Sailor Jack Carroll, Harry Wills, Jack Dempsey, Jack Dillon, Leo Houck, Harry Greb, Billy Miske, Fred Fulton, Sam Langford, Jeff Clark, GunBoat Smith, Bill Brennan, Tommy Gibbons, Floyd Johnson, Fred Fulton, and Jimmy Delaney.

Meehan’s most famous victories were over Jack Dempsey, just before Dempsey won the World heavyweight title.  Meehan fought Dempsey 5 times from 1917 to 1918, and came away with a 2 victories, 1 defeat and 2 draws against the future World heavyweight champion. All the fights were over the 4 rounds distance, and took place in California, which had a four rounds limit on fights at the time. While the duration of the fight certainly helped Meehan, they should not detract from his performances against Dempsey, who at the time was knocking just about everyone else out in one or two rounds.  Dempsey found Meehan’s tricky style a nightmare, and must have been pleased to see the back of him. There was certainly no title shot for Meehan after Dempsey had thrashed Jess Willard in 3 rounds to win the World heavyweight title. 

Two more prestigious scalps on the portly Meehan’s belt were point’s victories over Sam Langford and Jeff Clark, both of whom he fought and beat just two weeks apart on March 4, 1919 and March 28, 1919.

Meehan had his final fight on August 1928, when he was stopped in 7 rounds by Eddie Kid Sullivan. His final record was 83(20koes)-29-38.  After he retired from fighting Meehan worked on film production as an electrician in Hollywood.  

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Copyright © 2016 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com

Boxing History: Battling Nelson: The Durable Dane

Remembering...Oscar “Battling” Nelson
June 5, 1882 - February 7, 1954 

Oscar “Battling” Nelson, otherwise known as the “Durable Dane” was one of the toughest fighters who ever lived. He was a rough and tough fighter, who was seemingly immune to punishment. Turning professional in 1896, Nelson would face the greatest lightweights of his era during his career. It was an era in which the lightweight division was full of a varied array of outstanding fighters, from slick and speedy boxers, to dynamite punchers, rough and tumble brawlers, and then some boxers who could do a bit of everything. The men whom Nelson squared up to, or chased down in the ring, included men such as ‘Cyclone’ Johnny Thompson, Adam Ryan, George Memsic, Aurelio Herrera, Young Corbett 11, Jimmy Britt, Abe Attell, Kid Sullivan, Terry McGovern, Joe Gans, Dick Hyland, Ad Wolgast, ‘Philadelphia’ Pal Moore, George ‘One Round’ Hogan, Leach Cross, Jimmy Reagan, and Freddie Welsh.

Nelson was born Oscar Mattheus Nielson on June 5, 1882, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Nelson’s parents move to Chicago when Oscar was a baby. During his career, Nelson built up a tremendous reputation as being seemingly invulnerable to pain or punishment. In an era where fighters were incredibly tough, Nelson was a man who stood out from the crowd. He was a true iron man whose durability was equaled by his ability to hand out frightful beatings to his opponents. He was a potent puncher who favoured fighting on the inside, and could wreck an opponent’s body with a few well placed left hooks. Nelson favoured hitting his opponents as hard, and as often as he could, until they finally wilted, and collapsed. Some went early, others hung around and tried to fight it out with the ‘Durable Dane’. Very few could succeed going toe to toe with Nelson. Yet to try and outbox Nelson was also a nightmare because he would never stop coming forwards, always on the attack. 

Nelson is most renowned for his 3 fights with the legendary Joe Gans. Nicknamed ‘The Old Master’ Gans was a boxer with a superlative mixture of speed, cleverness and dynamite, and Nelson would be his greatest rival. The two men first fought on September 3, 1906, in a brutal epic bout in the desert of Goldfield, Nevada. By this time, Nelson had beaten just about every other top contender in the lightweight division, while Gans had held the World lightweight championship since 1902. The temperatures rose over 100 degrees, the two men fought for over 40 rounds, with Gans pitting his skills and brain against Nelson’s strength, and almost demonic determination. The finish came in the 42nd round when a worn down and seemingly close to defeat Gans was awarded the victory on a foul, thereby retaining his World lightweight title.

Nelson was bitter about his loss to Gans, and had to wait almost 2 years before he could gain revenge. His chance came on July 4, 1908, when he faced Gans once more for the World lightweight championship. Gans was by now suffering from tuberculosis, and after a brave stand, was knocked out in the 17th round. Nelson underlined his superiority over the ailing Gans two months later when he beat him again, this time knocking out the ‘Old Master’ in 21 rounds, after Gans had put up a brave yet, ultimately doomed performance.

Nelson held his world title until February 22, 1910, when he came face to face with a mirror image of himself in Ad Wolgast, who managed to out-slug, and outlast Nelson in one of the most thrilling and brutal contests ever seen in a boxing ring, finally stopping Nelson in the 40th round. At the finish, Nelson was still on his feet, but was blinded with both eyes cut and nearly shut, as well as being covered in various other cuts and bruises. In the end, the referee stopped the match, to save the blind and groggy Nelson any more punishment. Nelson of course protested bitterly at the stoppage. The match itself was probably the nearest thing to a battle to the death that has been seen in the modern ring, and neither man was ever the same fighter again. 

Battling Nelson carried on fighting until 1917, with the increasingly vain hope of somehow regaining the world title, but although he continued to fight at the top level, the spark had gone from his fighting armor. Nine months after losing his world title to Ad Wolgast, Nelson was counted out for the first time in his career when England’s Owen Moran knocked ‘The Durable Dane’ out in the 11th round. The former iron man had finally become a mere mortal inside the ring. However, he still fought with courage and determination in the ring, and despite being past his best, would never take the full count again. Nelson finally retired in 1920, with his last fight being a 12- round point’s win over Slugger McLaughlin. 

Battling Nelson’s final record was 59(49koes)-19-22. He died on February 7, 1954, aged 71.

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 Copyright © 2016 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com