Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 1 (of 3): Containing Lives of the Most Celebrated Pugilists; Full Reports of Their Battles from Contemporary Newspapers, With Authentic Portraits, Personal Anecdotes, and Sketches of the Principal Patrons of the Prize Ring, Forming a Complete History of the Ring from Fig and Broughton, 1719-40, to the Last Championship Battle Between King and Heenan, in December 1863Miles, Henry Downes
History
Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 1 (of 3): Containing Lives of the Most Celebrated Pugilists; Full Reports of Their Battles from Contemporary Newspapers, With Authentic Portraits, Personal Anecdotes, and Sketches of the Principal Patrons of the Prize Ring, Forming a Complete History of the Ring from Fig and Broughton, 1719-40, to the Last Championship Battle Between King and Heenan, in December 1863
Miles, Henry Downes
Boxing
6.—No fighting; they closed and both came down.
7.—In this round Ryan displayed to advantage,
but closing he fell.
8.—Very short; Ryan again fell.
9.—Both having received some desperate blows,
now began to be more cautious, sparred a good
deal, and the round was terminated rather
favourably for Ryan.
10.—Some sharp blows quickly plied. Belcher
fell. (Odds were now generally two to one on
Ryan.)
11.—The men instantly closed, and Ryan fell.
12.—In this round Ryan put in some good hits and
brought down his opponent.
13.—Both closed, struggled, and fell, Belcher
uppermost.
14.—Ryan threw in a severe blow, which Belcher
very scientifically stopped; he rallied, and
both fell with great violence. When down,
Belcher patted Ryan’s cheek, and said, laughing,
“Bill, you’re done over.”
15.—No fighting, and the men closed and fell,
Ryan uppermost.
16.—Both showed fight; Ryan down.
17.—Ryan very adroitly threw his opponent, still
Belcher appeared very gay.
18.—Good fighting. Ryan brought down his
opponent again, but not a clear fall.
19.—After some good hits exchanged, Ryan put in
a severe blow in the kidneys, and threw Belcher.
20.—Ryan now appeared distressed in his wind;
but he made a neat hit, but slipped and fell.
21.—Both fought with great resolution, and each
showed courage. Ryan had the superiority in
strength, and got his opponent down again.
22.—Both appeared fatigued; no fighting, they
closed and both fell.
23.—Well contested; Belcher showed good fight,
and his friends began to have a better opinion
of his chance; he hit his man and got away,
Ryan, however, threw him.
24.—Belcher recruited, stood up boldly, and by
an excellent hit, brought down his opponent.
25.—Both very weak, closed, and fell.
26.—No fighting, at least no impression. Ryan
fell.
27.—Both combatants seemed distressed. Belcher
fell.
28.—Belcher at the end of this round fell, and
laughing, fairly pulled his antagonist after
him.
29.—Belcher immediately on setting to, put in a
blow on the head, and Ryan gave in, not without
a supposition of cross play. The fight lasted
fifty minutes.
“Lord Craven, Lord Albemarle, General
Fitzpatrick, Hon. Berkeley Craven, Mr. Fletcher
Reid, Mr. Mellish, Mendoza, Jackson, Bill Warr,
and others were present.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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