During the early years of the 20th century, San Francisco promoters served up boxing's grandest spectacles. On February 22, 1910, a crowd of more than 15,000 braved chilly, rainy conditions to witness one such match, pitting lightweight champion "Battling" Nelson against Ad Wolgast. That epic battle came to stand virtually unchallenged as the most brutal fight of all time.

This volume recaptures that historic fight while vividly illuminating the geographic, historic, and political forces that made it all possible. In chronicling these colorful boxers and their vibrant era, this work also reveals the dangers faced by workman pugilists like Nelson and Wolgast, making their tale, at its heart, a cautionary one.