Barbados Joe Walcott as he entered the ring, appeared to be the favorite. Walcott sent Ferns to the floor twice in the fifth round, the first a solid blow to the jaw. Rube took the count both times. At the end, the referee stopped the bout to prevent a knockout. Ferns began to weaken as early as the third round, and in the fourth Walcott sent Ferns through the ropes. The bout featured a clinch in the fourth round that brought both boxers to the mat, possibly a result of a tiring Walcott attempting to counter Fern's six inch height advantage and superior
Barbados Joe Walcott slight lead over Jackson, as his blows to the head and neck of his opponent were not landing with much force. Walcott had previously fought Jackson twice in the winter of 1902 to a win and a draw. On April 4, 1904 Walcott defended his title against black contender Dixie Kid. He was winning the fight handily when the referee disqualified Walcott for no apparent reason in the final seconds of the 20th round. "Duck Sullivan", the referee, was a last minute replacement, and Walcott protested the choice before the bout began. In the one sided contest, Walcott appeared to