Battling Nelson, the Durable Dane

Mark Allen Baker, business executive and author of hundreds of articles and more than 25 books, is the only person to serve the International Boxing Hall of Fame as an author, historian, chairperson, sponsor, volunteer and biographer. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame, and was accorded a Lifetime Award of Merit by the State University of New York in 2022.

• Table of ContentsAcknowledgments viiiPrefaceOne—1882–1899: From Copenhagen to HegewischTwo—1900–1903: Making HeadlinesThree—1904: Positioning for the TitleFour—1905: Five Memorable LightweightsFive—1906: McGovern and the Fight of the Century ISix—1907: Repositioning for the AscentSeven—July 4, 1908: The Fight of the Century IIEight—September 9, 1908: The Fight of the Century IIINine—1909: Retaining the TitleTen—February 2, 1910: A Disappointing LossEleven—1911–1912: Mounting a ComebackTwelve—1913: Fay and a Final DescentThirteen—1914–1917: At Long Last, Freddie WelshFourteen—1918–1954: The Final RoundsAppendix: RecordsChapter Notes Bibliography Index

“[Baker] enthralls the readers of the brutal encounters Nelson engaged in in his scrappy career...It is simply the best book ever written on the life of Battling Nelson. Not only does Mr. Baker bring to life the long forgotten pugilist, but his era is vividly reconstructed where the reader feels as if he were sitting in the early years of the 20th Century…. To those fans who enjoy reading about a bygone era and the great fighter who plied their trade, this is the book for you. It is terrific...highly recommended”—The USA Boxing News