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
25.—Here it was anybody’s battle; the combatants
both appeared beaten and exhausted. They were
dreadfully disfigured, and neither hardly
capable of getting off his second’s knee.
Notwithstanding each from the great loss of
blood had the utmost difficulty in making
fight, the battle lasted eleven more rounds,
each alternately having the advantage, and
betting became even. At length they met like
two inebriated men, helpless, and almost
incapable of holding up their hands either to
stop or hit, and every round finished by both
rolling down together. Still Gully was the
favourite, and by an astonishing effort of
nature, in the thirty-sixth round he put in a
blow, which, although feeble, was sufficiently
strong to prevent Gregson’s rising again in
time. Gregson laid for some minutes, incapable
of either moving or speaking, but Gully, even
now, elated with victory, leaped with joy.
REMARKS.—It would be difficult to say which was
the most beaten, such spectacles were never
before witnessed. The battle was allowed to
excel everything, in point of game and slashing
exchanges, that ever had been displayed. Even
those who had seen Johnson, Big Ben, Jackson,
and Symonds contend, allowed this to exceed all.
Captain Barclay took Gully off the ground in his
carriage, and the next day both combatants
appeared on the race-course, but Gregson could
not remain long, and on returning home was
forced to call in medical aid. Gully in this
contest showed he had become much more expert
than when he contended with the Game Chicken.
He, however, certainly fought at great
disadvantage against a man of such superior
strength and length as Gregson. He could never
make a hit until his opponent chose to begin, as
Gregson sparred with his left arm fully
extended, which was much longer and stronger
than Gully’s. Gregson’s favourite hit is a
desperate lunge with his right hand, which
nothing can resist, and by that means Gully
became so much beaten. Gregson was mostly
abroad, and Gully generally returned with great
adroitness and advantage. His left arm was
severely hurt in the commencement of the battle,
in endeavouring to parry the right-handed hits
of his adversary.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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