walcott won the world welterweight title on december 18, 1901 in buffalo, new york, from reigning champion james "rube" ferns achieving a technical knockout in the fifth round. ferns, from the reaction of the buffalo crowd 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 reach. the match brought roughly 2,000 spectators to the club house, and tickets ranged from a respectable $2 to $5.