ROUND 1 – Nelson swung a left over Wolgast’s head, jabbed a left to mouth. Wolgast put a light left to the head and a left on wind. Nelson worked Wolgast to the ropes jabbed two lefts to the face and gave a hard left on the stomach. Wolgast stood up close and blocked cleverly. Both were short with lefts. Nelson worked Wolgast around the ring landing both hands repeatedly on the face. Wolgast rushed in, landed a couple of hard ones on Nelson’s face and a hard right on the kidneys. Wolgast covered up and backed away protecting his face well then rushed in and landed a couple of hard lefts on the jaw. He made the Battler’s head rock with sharp right uppercuts as the bell rang. Wolgast’s round.

ROUND 2 – Nelson started the round with a left smash to the face and forced his man against the ropes. Wolgast swung two powerful lefts to the face and a right and left to the jaw at close range. Nelson’s lips bled slightly. Both exchanged rights and lefts to the face. A right swing by Nelson opened up a cut under Wolgast’s right eye that bled slightly. Nelson took the fighting to his opponent, but was met with two hard lefts to the stomach and a right to the jaw. Wolgast had a shade the better of the round.

ROUND 3 – Wolgast shot in three straight lefts to the face. Nelson rebuking him with a right swing fairly on the jaw. Wolgast smiled and they mixed it against the ropes. Nelson brought the blood from Wolgast’s nose crossing him with a vicious right. After some wrestling, Nelson forced his man against the ropes, but Wolgast covered up and smothered neatly. Nelson was doing the majority of the work and both men slowed up considerably. The round was even.

ROUND 4 – Nelson piled on top of his man and the challenger fought back fiercely. Nelson staggered Wolgast with a left uppercut to the jaw, followed with left and right swings to the body. Wolgast fought back gamely, playing for the head and body. Nelson forced his antagonist against the ropes and tried to land a knockout punch, but Wolgast was too elusive. Wolgast landed twice with the right on the face and then they fought at close range. Wolgast’s right finding the stomach and his left landing on Nelson’s jaw. Wolgast’s eye was swollen as he took his seat. Both men bled from nostrils at the close of the round, which was even.

ROUND 5 – Nelson went of the aggressive landing a left to the face. Wolgast rocked Nelson’s head with a right hand and they sparred. Nelson tapped Wolgast’s cheek with a left. Nelson put Wolgast on the ropes and sent a right to the ribs. Wolgast feinted Nelson out of the position and landed left and right on the mouth. Wolgast swung hard left on the wind and both slowed up a lot. They clinched and Nelson appealed to Smith. Wolgast hooked a hard right to the cheek and covered up as Nelson worked him to the ropes. Nelson kept on top of Wolgast, but did no damage. Nelson sent a good right to the cheek and missed a left swing for the jaw at the bell. Wolgast had a shade the best of it, although Nelson was the aggressor.

ROUND 6 – Wolgast talked to his seconds as Nelson battered away at him. After Wolgast had landed two rights to the jaw and a left swing to the same place, Nelson closed in and an exchange of short arm rights and lefts to the head followed. Nelson swung a hard right to the jaw, which the Battler duplicated a moment later. Wolgast backed into his own corner and scored on the stomach with a tremendous left that sent the crowd howling. A moment later he sent in another to the same place. The round closed with honors in favor of Wolgast.

ROUND 7 – Nelson appeared to have slowed down a bit. Wolgast swung two lefts to the face and a mid-ring rally followed, the men exchanging right and left swings to the head. Wolgast met the oncoming Battler with two uppercut lefts to the jaw and an instant later swung twice with right to the face and left to the body, meanwhile covering up cleverly. Nelson sent Wolgast almost through the ropes with a left smash to the jaw. Referee Smith cautioned Ad about hitting low. They mixed it in the center of the ring. Wolgast bringing a fresh stream of blood from the champion’s face. As the bell rang Nelson swung a hard right over the heart. The round was fairly even.

ROUND 8 – Wolgast was short with a left. Nelson out both hands to the jaw and Wolgast fought fast. He landed solid right the mouth and followed with a similar blow. Nelson landed both hands on the face. Nelson hooked a good left to the jaw. Wolgast put two lefts on the mouth, then backed away and covered up. He fought back strong, putting a left to the wind. Nelson forced the fighting and had Wolgast on the defensive. He worked Wolgast to the ropes and landed three or four blows on the face without a return. Wolgast uppercut to the face and covered up while Nelson peppered his head with both hands at the bell. Nelson had a shade of this round. Wolgast’s blows had lost some of their sting.

ROUND 9 – Wolgast broke ground before the Battler trying to reach Nelson with right and left to the stomach. Finally they mixed it fighting at a furious clip, each landing on the face and jaw. One mix was a repetition of the other. Nelson forcing his man back and Wolgast trying hard to stop the pace leader. Wolgast uppercut to the jaw with his left and a moment later cut open Nelson’s ear with a right swing. Nelson danced to his corner with the blood streaming from his corner with the blood streaming from his injured ear. Nelson had a shade the best of the round.

ROUND 10 – Nelson let a light left go to the mouth and started crowding Wolgast, who blocked the lead cleverly and swung right on wind and then hooked left to jaw. Wolgast put another left on Nelson’s jaw then worked both hands to the head. Wolgast rocked Nelson’s head with a solid left. Both landed lefts on face and Nelson knocked a left swing from his face. Wolgast put a hard left to the wind. Wolgast fought hard for the mouth, but Nelson came back in his tireless fashion and exude Wolgast break. Nelson landed left on wind, evening up the round.

ROUND 11 – Wolgast outboxed the champion, but could not make him break ground. Nelson mercilessly waded in unmindful of the contrast tattoo that Wolgast best against his face and jaw with short arm hooks and jolts. Wolgast swung right and left to the jaw. The bell ended the round with Wolgast hammering away at Nelson’s jaw and face landing almost at well. Nelson’s face was a mass of blood as he took his seat with the honors of the round against him.

ROUND 12 – Wolgast missed a hard right uppercut. They clinched and exchanged body blows and Ad was warned by the referee. Wolgast put two clean lefts on the mouth and two others to the wind. Nelson swung a good left to the cheek. Nelson was bleeding freely from the mouth, but uppercut a left to the mouth. Wolgast landed a couple of solid lefts on the jaw that seemed to weaken Nelson for a moment. They clinched both sending lefts to the face. Wolgast’s blows were the harder, but nelson kept boring in. Nelson put a light right on the cheek. Both landed lefts on body. Wolgast swung a hard left for the wind, but Nelson blocked. Ad came back with two lefts to the face at the bell. The crowd cheered for Wolgast. This was all Wolgast’s round and it began to look bad for Nelson.

ROUND 13 – As the men came up, Nelson’s lips were puffed and his mouth and eyes were swollen. They mixed like tigers. Wolgast landing repeatedly on the body and jaw, with Nelson fighting wildly and spitting blood. Wolgast literally cut the Battler’s face to ribbons, but still the Dane came on for more. Nelson wrestled his man against the ropes. Wolgast covering up. There was a temporary lull in the battle, after which Wolgast swung right and left to the body and grinned as Nelson went to his corner. “The worst beating the champion has ever received,” said old time ring followers as Nelson’s seconds worked over his damaged face during the minute’s respite at the end of the round.

ROUND 14 – Wolgast looked much the fresher as they came up. He flung his right hard to the face and followed with left and right to the body. Nelson’s face was badly swollen. Wolgast fought fiercely taking the fight to the Battler. Nelson almost forced Wolgast through the ropes and then assisted him to the center of the ring. Wolgast smiled and shook the champion’s hand warmly. Wolgast then hooked his left twice in quick succession to Nelson’s battered mouth and followed it with a straight right to the face and the bell ended a rather game round.

ROUND 15 – Battling now even money. They whaled away ineffectively at one another both displaying more caution than in any previous round. Nelson then wrestled his man about the ring only to be rewarded with a left uppercut on the mouth. Nelson outpointed badly, continued to force the pace, all the while a target for Wolgast’s well timed swings. Nelson initiated a terrible swing that was labeled knockout and this taught Wolgast that he had better be careful. Nelson’s lip was cut and he had a bad gash over the left eye.

ROUND 16 – They rushed to a clinch. Wolgast working both hands on Nelson’s stomach and then swung a left to the face. Wolgast blocked Nelson’s leads and sent a left to the mouth. Wolgast showed more speed now than before. Nelson sent a good left hook to the mouth, and Wolgast looked serious and hurt for a moment, but swung a hard left to the jaw. Nelson worked a right hook to the chin and the Michiganger hooked two hard lefts to the mouth. Both landed left swings on the face. Wolgast had the cleaner blows. Nelson sent a solid right to the jaw. Wolgast hooked his left to the wind and jumped away. Nelson rushed Wolgast to the ropes and put two lefts on Wolgast’s mouth. Wolgast had a shade the last of this round, but Nelson went to his seat dancing.

ROUND 17 – Bat brought the fight to Wolgast and sent left to nose, but got a solid right on the stomach in exchange. Wolgast sent a solid left to the wind and hooked a right to the head. Wolgast fought Nelson to a corner and started his mouth bleeding afresh. Wolgast swung hard right on jaw. Wolgast put half dozen rights to Nelson’s face without return. Wolgast poked two straight lefts to face. Bat worked Ad to the ropes, but did no damage, and got two straight lefts on face. Wolgast rushed Nelson half way through the ropes at the bell. Wolgast had much the best of the round.

ROUND 18 – “How do you feel?” asked Nelson as the men came up, “As if I were punching a bag,” was the quick rejoinder of Wolgast, with which he waded in landing right and left on Nelson’s sore mouth. Wolgast slipped to his knees in his own corner but was up in a jiffy. He covered up with Nelson battering away at him, but failed to land. Wolgast apparently staggered the champion, sending in several vicious right swings to the jaw. Wolgast butted the champion with his head and was quickly rebuked by referee Smith. The round ended without damage.

ROUND 19 – The men came up almost as fresh as at the beginning. Wolgast time and again jabbed his left to the face. Nelson fighting back fiercely, but ineffectively. They battled about the ring. Nelson all the time the aggressor and never relenting with Wolgast breaking ground and playing for the face and jaw with short arm jolts. Wolgast staggered the champion with a succession of powerful rights to the jaw. There was no giving way with Nelson and as the round ended he tripped to his seat. One round was practically a repetition of its predecessor.

ROUND 20 – Nelson hooked a left to the wind and jabbed three lefts to Wolgast’s mouth. Both landed lefts on the face and Wolgast sent his left back to Bat’s jaw. The Battler’s face was badly cut up. They clinched and Nelson put right on ribs. Both connected with lefts on the face. Wolgast rocked Nelson’s head with right. Nelson drove Wolgast back with a left on the neck. Nelson backed Wolgast to the ropes and crossed the cheek with his right. Wolgast hooked a hard right to the cheek and Nelson landed both hands on Wolgast’s face, but did not seem to make an impression. An even round.

ROUND 21 – Wolgast blocked Nelson’s left. Bat landed hard left and right to face forcing Wolgast into a clinch. Wolgast hooked two lefts to the face. Nelson sent a right to the ribs. In a clinch Nelson landed a left on the face and got a solid left swing on the ear in exchange. Wolgast landed two blows to Nelson’s one, but the Dane carried the fight to him all the time. Nelson got a straight right to the cheek. Nelson rushed Ad to the ropes and landed two solid blows on the face. They clinched at the bell.

ROUND 22 – When the gong opened betting was done at even money. Nelson staggered his antagonist with a clean right drive to the stomach. He followed his advantage, landing right and left to the jaw and body. A right swing sent Ad ti his haunches. He was up quickly, but staggered about the ring. Wolgast stalled for half a minute and both swung fiercely at each other. Nelson tried with all his might for a knockout, but failed. Wolgast’s seconds gave him whisky as he took his seat. It was all Nelson’s round.

ROUND 23 – Nelson went right after his man and Wolgast fought back gamely. He swung twice to the Battler’s jaw with right and then a hard rally in the middle of the ring followed both landing-telling punches. Nelson appeared to be much stronger of the two. He shot his left hand to the jaw. Wolgast retaliating with left swings to the jaw. Nelson tried for a knockout, but Wolgast covered up cleverly and closed into a clinch. The round ended with no damage. Wolgast again was given whisky during the minute’s intermission.

ROUND 24 – Wolgast came up fresher. Nelson forced him from one end of the ring to the other without damage. Wolgast swinging viciously to the jaw with right and left. Nelson only shook his head and then shot a hard right to the jaw and a left swing to the face. Wolgast hooked his right to the jaw and a left swing to the face. Wolgast slowed up perceptibly and the crowd yelled, “fight! Fight!” The round ended tamely.

ROUND 25 – Nelson dropped his man against the ropes but his swings were badly directed. They exchanged savage lefts to the face and Nelson crossed his right to the jaw. Wolgast set his backers cheering by scoring thrice on the jaw with hard right swings. Soon after he duplicated this performance, but Nelson nevered wavered. Wolgast appeared to be tiring at this stage. The crowd sent up a great cheer when they realized that Wolgast had lasted the 25 rounds.

ROUND 26 – They wrestled to the center of the ring and refused to break. Nelson sent a right to the cheek in a clinch. Wolgast robbed Nelson’s right of right swing. Wolgast hammers Nelson on the stomach in clinch. Nelson worked a right to check and both landed lefts on the face. Bat jabbed a right to the cheek. Nelson put another right to cheek. Both landed lefts on mouth. Wolgast missed a vicious left swing for the head. Both boys were tired. Wolgast swung right on kidney and a glancing left on the eye. They clinched at the bell. This was Wolgast’s round and Nelson went to his corner spitting blood.

ROUND 27 – Wolgast changed his tactics at the start of this round. He rushed in close and took the fighting to the Dane, fighting shoulder to shoulder, each landed repeatedly on the face. Nelson’s left eye was almost entirely closed at this stage. Wolgast clipped Nelson solidly on the jaw with his right and the spectators cheered. Wolgast closed in and played for the Dane’s body, but his efforts were blocked and Nelson broke it up with a stinging right tom the face. It was Wolgast’s round and he was much fresher at the finish than for some time previous.

ROUND 28 – Nelson came up with his left cheek badly swollen. They fought at a hot pace, locked to each other’s embrace, and were cautioned to break. Breaking, Wolgast swung twice with right on Nelson’s sore face and at close range swung left and right to Nelson’s mouth starting the blood. They slowed up considerably and frequently fought in a clinch. Nelson had Wolgast in a corner at the bell and went to his corner on a trot. No damage was done.

ROUND 29 – Wolgast rushed in grabbed Nelson with one arm and fought to land on the body with the other. He finally landed several swings over the kidneys and twice shot his left to the face. Nelson unhooked a left that caught Wolgast over the heart and the latter winced and groaned. Nelson caught his man straight on the jaw as they rushed to close quarters and then followed a succession of clinches breaking they exchanged terrific left swings to the jaw and then fought to another clinch to which position they were at the close of the round. Nelson was wobbling as he went to his corner.

ROUND 30 – Wolgast came up fresh. They immediately went to a clinch, Wolgast landing on the body. Nelson sent a right to the cheek. His rival worked a hard blow on Nelson’s wind. The Dane was hanging on. They went into another clinch. Bat missed a right for face, but Ad landed on a similar blow. The Dane sent a hard right to the jaw and missed a wild left. They sparred carefully. Bat put his right to the ear, but Wolgast rocked his head with a solid right. Nelson got a hard left on mouth. Both landed lefts on face. Nelson put a solid right on the cheek at the bell. He had the best of the round, but went to his corner very tired, while Wolgast seemed fresh. Nelson’s mouth was doctored between the rounds.

ROUNDS 31 – Nelson trotted to the center of the ring and Wolgast landed several short arm jolts to the stomach, following them with a right swing to the chin. Nelson fought more carefully. Wolgast swung a hard right more carefully. Wolgast swung a hard right to the sore cheek, after which both rested in a clinch. Breaking, Wolgast swung twice with his right on the jaw and he danced away as the Dane rushed after him. Wolgast had the advantage of the round and the Battler seemed dazed trying to locate his corner.

ROUND 32 –The men came up slowly and immediately closed in, volleying at each other’s stomach with Wolgast landing frequently. Suddenly Wolgast swung with his right, catching Nelson flush on the mouth, and a stream of blood followed. Nelson looked bad. He had very little steam. Nelson sent a light left to the face. Wolgast landed on the face. Nelson put a good fight to the face and Wolgast landed lefts on the face and wind. Wolgast sent hard right to the jaw. Nelson seemed dazed and the blood was pouring from his mouth in a stream, but still he carried the fight to Wolgast. He presented a gory picture as the blood covered him from head to foot. The round ended in Wolgast’s favor. He no longer feared to mix it with the champion and appeared to gain confidence as the battle progressed.

ROUND 33 – Bat was much refreshed. In a clinch Wolgast drove three rights to the stomach and with his left he peppered away at Nelson’s damaged eye. Wolgast then swung two rights to the same place and Nelson was half blinded. His blows were wild and he found it difficult to locate the Michigan lad. They mixed it and Wolgast planted two hard rights full tilt in the stomach and Nelson clinched. Nelson could see with only one eye, the other being out of commission. It was all Wolgast’s round. Nelson’s efforts to land were feeble.

ROUND 34 – Nelson missed a left for the face. They clinched and Wolgast lifted Nelson off his feet. Nelson put a right on the cheek. Wolgast sent a left to the mouth and right to the wind. Nelson missed with both hands. The crowd cried to Wolgast to finish it, but Nelson put a left on the face. Wolgast sent three short arm jolts to the face. Nelson sent both hands to the face, but had no steam in the blows. Nelson went after Wolgast and landed two rights on the cheek. As they broke from the clinch both landed left swings on the face. Nelson was dazed going to his corner.

ROUND 35 – Nelson was a sight as he came to the center of the ring. All life seemed to have gone out of him and although he forced matters, all his efforts were devoted to stopping the blows of his adversary. Wolgast started his arms going in whirlwind fashion, landing without return on the Dane’s stomach. Wolgast staggered the champion with a terrific left swing to the jaw and Nelson appeared to be going to pieces gradually. Wolgast smashes with his right and had the champion groggy from a succession of rights and lefts to the jaw. The bell rang in the nick of time, saving the champion from what looked like certain defeat.

ROUND 36 – Nelson came up weak. He waded in, but could not see Wolgast. The latter danced around the champion like a jumping jack, sending in punch after punch. Nelson almost tottered into a clinch, but Wolgast fought warily and took no chances of the Battler’s stalling. Wolgast played for the body and head alternately, but his blows were not strong enough for a knockout. Nelson almost fell into his chair as the round ended, but refused to quit.

ROUND 37 – Wolgast took no chances, apparently fearing that the champion was faking weakness. He jarred Nelson with three right punches to the jaw and Nelson could hardly come back. They met in mid-ring with Nelson swinging like a babe and Wolgast landing with good, clean punches. Nelson’s efforts to stem the tide was a wonderful exhibition. Wolgast almost sent the champion through the ropes with a right smash to the jaw. Nelson tottered about the ring helplessly and Wolgast sent in smash after smash and the bell rang saving Nelson from a knockout.

ROUND 38 elson was a pitiful sight as he staggered to the center of the ring. Wolgast appeared to be in no hurry to complete his work. Robinson at this stage, tried to throw up the sponge, but the other Nelson seconds took the sponge from him and threw it in the bucket. Nelson to all intents and purposes was a beaten man and it required the use of all his senses to stave off or prolong inevitable defeat. Both men were covered from head to foot from the Dane’s blood and the arena soon became a shambles. Wolgast peppered away at the disintegrating champion, the crowd yelling itself hoarse for the Michigan Wildcat to finish his man and the agony. These cries were mingled with expressions of pity for Nelson. Battling now 20 to 1 in favor of Wolgast.

ROUND 39 Wolgast appeared loath to put in the finishing punch. He jabbed incessantly at the Battler’s anatomy and again the blood flowed in a stream. Nelson tried to make a last rally, but it was only for a fleeting moment and he again quickly subdued and could scarely hold up his hands. Wolgast almost sent Nelson to the floorlanding blow after blow on the defenseless champion’s face. Ring followers said they never had seen such an exhibition of gaminess as displayed by Nelson. Referee Smith said he would stop the fight in the next round if Nelson’s seconds did not.

ROUND 40 Wolgast pounded away, looking for an opening for a knockout blow. He smashed the beaten champion on the jaw with a right, putting all his remaining strength in the blow. Nelson tottered and was on the point of collapse when Referee Eddie Smith stopped the fight and gave the verdict to Wolgast. Nelson tried to shake the hand of his conqueror, but was so weak that he was quickly dragged to his corner.

February 23, 1910
San Francisco, California
The San Francisco Chronicle