walcott met world lightweight champion joe gans in a non-title fight at woodward's pavilion in san francisco on september 30, 1904, and scored a draw after 20 thrilling rounds. many in the crowd believed gans should have received the decision. the lightweight champion gained a lead from the second till the tenth using his right almost exclusively on the body of walcott. walcott, however, put tremendous force behind his blows, weakening the lightweight gans in several points in the bout.