In 1906, Gans met Battling Nelson in Goldfield, Nevada, in a fight arranged by Tex Rickard. Gans, although he was the defending champion, was offered only one-third of the purse because he was black, and Nelson insisted that Gans make the 133-pound weight limit. Gans knocked Nelson down a couple of times and each time helped him up. In the 42nd round, Nelson felled Gans with a low blow. The referee called the punch a foul and declared Gans the winner. Nelson knocked Gans out in the rematch to take the title, and then knocked Gans out again in their third meeting. At the time of his last two fights with Nelson, Gans already had begun to feel the effects of tuberculosis. He died from the disease in 1910. A stunning vintage image of this lethal pair in their July 4, 1908 fight in San Francisco when Battling Nelson beat Joe Gans in their second battle. This magnificent photo reads “Nelson-Gans Contest, S.F. July 4, ‘08. Won by Nelson, 17 Rounds, K.O. Dana, Photo. S.F.” across the bottom. By the photographer Percy Dana, the all-time dean of boxing photographers. One of the finest Dana photos we have ever seen in terms of size and aesthetics. Photo itself is 29-1/2 x 19-1/2” and in good condition with some surface loss in the lower right quadrant but it in no way affects the overall quality and impact of the photo. Original wood frame is in VG condition.