Oscar Matthew "Battling" Nelson (June 5, 1882 – February 7, 1954) was a Danish-American professional boxer who held the World Lightweight championship. He was also nicknamed "the Durable Dane".

Personal history Nelson was born Oscar Mathæus Nielsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, on June 5, 1882. He emigrated to the United States the following year and was raised in Hegewisch, a neighborhood on the Southeast side of Chicago.

In 1913, he married Fay King, a cartoonist who did his portrait for Nelson's 1911 guide The Wonders of the Yellowstone National Park. In 1916, they had a very public divorce.

Nelson died February 7, 1954, in Chicago, Illinois, from lung cancer. The Veteran Boxing Association paid for part of the cost of his funeral; his ex-wife paid the remainder, in addition to purchasing "beautiful arrangements" for the ceremony.

Boxing career Nelson began boxing professionally at age fourteen, in 1896. He fought for the vacant lightweight title against Jimmy Britt on December 20, 1904, but lost a twenty-round decision. He lost to Abe Attell in 1905, but his win over Jack O'Neill secured him another shot at the world championship. On September 9, 1905, Nelson finally beat Britt in a knockout in the 18th round of a 45-round bout.

He defeated Terry McGovern in a no-decision Newspaper decision, but then faced a greater challenge when he faced off against the reigning world lightweight champion Joe Gans on September 3, 1906, in Goldfield, Nevada. Gans dropped Nelson repeatedly during the bout, but could not knock him out. Finally, in the forty-second round, Nelson hit Gans below the belt causing him to lose the fight by disqualification.

In 1907 and 1908, Nelson split a pair of bouts with Britt and fought Attell to a draw. He then challenged Gans again for the world lightweight title on July 4, 1908. This time he knocked Gans out in the seventeenth round. Two months later, Nelson knocked out Gans in the twenty-first round.

In 1909, Nelson fought Ad Wolgast in a fight held over the lightweight limit. Wolgast beat him, and Nelson gave Wolgast a chance at his title on February 22, 1910. Eventually unable to see due to the accumulation of punches, Nelson lost the title when the referee stopped the fight in either the fortieth or the forty-second round.

Nelson continued to fight, and in 1917, he challenged Freddie Welsh for the lightweight title. He lost a twelve-round decision and retired from fighting in 1920.

He was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992.

In 2016, award-winning biographer Mark Allen Baker published the first comprehensive biography of Nelson with McFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and nonfiction books.

Motion pictures of Nelson's fights

The second Gans-Nelson battle in Colma was the subject of a four-reel motion picture that played in major cities around the country.

Professional boxing record All information in this section is derived from BoxRec, unless otherwise stated.

Official record

All newspaper decisions are officially regarded as “no decision” bouts and are not counted in the win/loss/draw column. ResultRecordOpponentTypeRoundDateLocationNote134Loss59–20–22 Freddie WelshNWS12Apr 17, 1917 133Win59–20–22 Pierce MatthewsTKO8 (12)Mar 17, 1917 132Loss58–20–22 Jimmy ReaganPTS10Nov 5, 1915 131Loss58–19–22 Bobby WaughPTS20Sep 6, 1915 130Win58–18–22 Dale GardnerKO2 (?)Apr 24, 1915 129Win57–18–22 Jimmy FryerPTS25Mar 24, 1915 128Win56–18–22 Stewart DonnellyKO3 (?)Mar 18, 1915 127Win55–18–22 Cliff FordPTS6Aug 19, 1913 126Loss54–18–22 Ad WolgastNWS10Oct 13, 1913 125Loss54–18–22 Pat BradleyNWS6 (10)May 3, 1913 124Loss54–18–22 Gilbert GallantPTS12Apr 29, 1913 123Draw54–17–22 Bay WoodPTS12Apr 19, 1913 122Win54–17–21 Mike MaloneNWS10Mar 27, 1913 121Loss54–17–21 Frank Ray WhitneyNWS10Mar 5, 1913 120Draw54–17–21 Bay WoodPTS12Feb 22, 1913 119Win54–17–20 Joe BurkeNWS10Feb 17, 1913 118Win54–17–20 Harry DillonTKO10 (10)Feb 11, 1913 117Win53–17–20 Jack SorensonNWS10Feb 5, 1913 116Loss53–17–20 Frankie RussellPTS10Jan 3, 1913 115Loss53–16–20 Yankee SchwartzNWS8Dec 31, 1912 114Draw53–16–20 Jim BonnerPTS10Dec 20, 1912 113Draw53–16–19 Teddy MaloneyNWS6Dec 13, 1912 112Loss53–16–19 Leach CrossNWS10Nov 28, 1912 111Win53–16–19 Art StewartNWS10Nov 14, 1912 110Draw53–16–19 Steve KetchelPTS15Sep 2, 1912 109Loss53–16–18 Mickey MacIntyreNWS12Jul 12, 1912 108Win53–16–18 Andy BezenahNWS12Jul 1, 1912 107Draw53–16–18 Sammy TrottPTS15Mar 1, 1912 106Draw53–16–17 Young TogoPTS6Feb 26, 1912 105Loss53–16–16 Tommy O'RourkeNWS10Jan 9, 1912 104Win53–16–16 Jack RedmondPTS20Dec 31, 1911 103Loss52–16–16 One Round HoganNWS10Dec 22, 1911 102Win52–16–16 Willie HowardNWS10Dec 18, 1911 101Win52–16–16 Bobby WilsonNWS10Dec 15, 1911 100Draw52–16–16 Andy BezenahNWS10Dec 4, 1911 99Win52–16–16 Joseph SperoKO6 (20)Nov 30, 1911 98Draw51–16–16 Louis De PonthieuNWS10Nov 25, 1911 97Win51–16–16 Tommy MooreTKO9 (10)Nov 10, 1911 96Draw50–16–16 Frank LoughreyNWS10Nov 6, 1911 95Win50–16–16 Monte DalePTS15Oct 25, 1911 94Loss49–16–16 George AlgerNWS6Oct 19, 1911 93Loss49–16–16 Philadelphia Pal MoorePTS12Oct 17, 1911 92Win49–15–16 Willie BeecherNWS10Oct 11, 1911 91Loss49–15–16 Milburn SaylorPTS12Oct 3, 1911 90Win49–14–16 Billy NixonTKO10 (12)Sep 19, 1911 89Win48–14–16 Tommy GaffneyTKO5 (10)Aug 4, 1911 88Draw47–14–16 Percy CovePTS6Jul 4, 1911 87Loss47–14–15 Owen MoranKO11 (20)Nov 26, 1910 86Draw47–13–15 Anton LaGravePTS15Oct 31, 1910 85Win47–13–14 Monte DaleTKO3 (10)Oct 10, 1910 84Loss46–13–14 Ad WolgastTKO40 (45)Feb 22, 1910 83Win46–12–14 Eddie LangTKO8 (8)Jan 21, 1910 82Loss45–12–14 Ad WolgastNWS10Jul 13, 1909 81Win45–12–14 Jack CliffordTKO5 (15)Jun 22, 1909 80Win44–12–14 Dick HylandKO23 (45)May 29, 1909 79Win43–12–14 Joe GansKO21 (45)Sep 9, 1908 78Win42–12–14 Joe GansKO17 (45)Jul 4, 1908 77Draw41–12–14 Abe AttellPTS15Mar 31, 1908 76Draw41–12–13 Jimmy BrittNWS10Mar 3, 1908 75Loss41–12–13 Rudy UnholzNWS10Feb 4, 1908 74Win41–12–13 Jack CliffordKO5 (20)Jan 13, 1908 73Loss40–12–13 Jimmy BrittPTS20Jul 31, 1907 72Loss40–11–13 Joe GansDQ42 (?)Sep 3, 1906 71Win40–10–13 Terry McGovernNWS6Mar 14, 1906 70Win40–10–13 Jimmy BrittKO18 (20)Sep 9, 1905 69Win39–10–13 Jack O'NeilNWS6Jun 6, 1905 68Draw39–10–13 Kid SullivanPTS6Jun 2, 1905 67Loss39–10–12 Abe AttellNWS6May 22, 1905 66Win39–10–12 Young Corbett IITKO9 (20)Feb 28, 1905 65Loss38–10–12 Jimmy BrittPTS20Dec 20, 1904 64Win38–9–12 Young Corbett IITKO10 (20)Nov 29, 1904 63Win37–9–12 Aurelio HerreraPTS20Sep 5, 1904 62Win36–9–12 Eddie HanlonTKO19 (20)Jul 29, 1904 61Win35–9–12 Martin CanoleKO18 (20)May 20, 1904 60Win34–9–12 Joe Spider WelshTKO16 (20)Apr 5, 1904 59Win33–9–12 Jack O'NeilPTS6Feb 5, 1904 58Win32–9–12 Art SimmsKO3 (6)Jan 16, 1904 57Win31–9–12 Clarence EnglishPTS15Dec 28, 1903 56Win30–9–12 George MemsicPTS6Nov 10, 1903 55Loss29–9–12 Charles NearyPTS6Oct 16, 1903 5429–8–12 Daredevil TildonNC2 (?)Sep 3, 1903 53Loss29–8–12 Eddie SternsKO9 (?)Aug 26, 1903 52Draw29–7–12 Mickey RileyPTS15Jul 24, 1903 5129–7–11 Mickey RileyNC11 (?)Jul 15, 1903 50Draw29–7–11 Clarence EnglishPTS15Jun 27, 1903 49Win29–7–10 Larry McDonaldKO4 (?)Jun 20, 1903 48Draw28–7–10 Mickey RileyPTS6Jun 19, 1903 47Win28–7–9 Young ScottyPTS8Jun 16, 1903 46Win27–7–9 Stockings KellyKO4 (?)May 22, 1903 45Win26–7–9 Cyclone Johnny ThompsonPTS6Apr 24, 1903 44Draw25–7–9 Adam RyanPTS15Mar 4, 1903 43Win25–7–8 Sammy MaxwellKO10 (?)Jan 6, 1903 42Win24–7–8 Christy WilliamsKO17 (?)Dec 26, 1902 41Win23–7–8 Billy MayfieldPTS10Dec 2, 1902 40Draw22–7–8 Battling HurleyPTS6Jun 14, 1902 39Win22–7–7 Pudden BurnsPTS6May 17, 1902 38Draw21–7–7 Danny McMahonPTS6Apr 12, 1902 37Win21–7–6 William RosslerKO1 (?)Apr 5, 1902 36Win20–7–6 Cyclone Johnny ThompsonPTS6Mar 21, 1902 35Win19–7–6 Kid RyanKO5 (?)Mar 17, 1902 34Win18–7–6 Joe PercentePTS8Mar 13, 1902 33Loss17–7–6 Charles BerryPTS8Jan 21, 1902 32Win17–6–6 Frank ColiferKO5 (?)Jan 13, 1902 31Loss16–6–6 Charles BerryPTS6Dec 17, 1901 30Win16–5–6 Mike WalshKO6 (6)Dec 16, 1901 29Draw15–5–6 Joe PercentePTS6Dec 2, 1901 28Loss15–5–5 Eddie SantryPTS6Nov 29, 1901 27Loss15–4–5 Joe PercentePTS6Nov 15, 1901 2615–3–5 Billy HeckND4Nov 10, 1901 25Draw15–3–5 Harry FailsPTS10May 24, 1901 2415–3–4 Harry FailsND6May 18, 1901 23Draw15–3–4 Charles BerryPTS6May 3, 1901 22Loss15–3–3 Mickey RileyPTS6Apr 19, 1901 21Win15–2–3 Black GriffoKO3 (?)Mar 17, 1901 20Win14–2–3 Jack MartinPTS4Dec 8, 1900 19Win13–2–3 Joe PercenteDQ2 (?)Dec 7, 1900 18Draw12–2–3 Danny McMahonPTS4Dec 1, 1900 17Loss12–2–2 Pete BoyleDQ4 (?)Dec 1, 1900 16Win12–1–2 Ed BurleyKO5 (?)Nov 22, 1900 15Win11–1–2 Black GriffoKO3 (?)Nov 15, 1900 14Draw10–1–2 Clarence ClassPTS6Nov 2, 1900 13Win10–1–1 Young BayPTS6Oct 8, 1900 12Win9–1–1 Young GriffinPTS6Sep 21, 1900 11Loss8–1–1 Joe HedmarkPTS6Sep 14, 1900 10Win8–0–1 Charles DoughertyKO1 (?)Aug 30, 1900 97–0–1 Feathers VernonND6Jul 4, 1900 8Win7–0–1 John SmithKO2 (?)Jun 1, 1899 7Win6–0–1 Bull WintersKO1 (?)May 3, 1899 6Win5–0–1 Eddie PennyKO1 (?)Apr 6, 1899 5Draw4–0–1 Eddie HermanPTS6Jan 1, 1899 4Win4–0 Soldier WilliamsKO3 (?)May 11, 1898 3Win3–0 Freddie GreenKO7 (?)May 10, 1898 2Win2–0 Ole OlsenPTS3Jun 5, 1897 1Win1–0 Wallace KidKO1 (?)Sep 3, 1896

Unofficial record

Record with the inclusion of newspaper decisions in the win/loss/draw column.