Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 2 (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, 1719-1740, to the Last Championship Battle Between King and Heenan, in December 1863Miles, Henry Downes
History
Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 2 (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, 1719-1740, to the Last Championship Battle Between King and Heenan, in December 1863
Miles, Henry Downes
Boxing
5.—Half a minute was too short apparently for the men to come up to
the scratch anything like themselves, and both commenced sparring to
recover wind. The Black at length made play, but out of distance,
and got again severely nobbed. He, without dismay, fought his way
manfully in, although he had the worst of the punishment. One of
Painter’s listeners received a heavy hit, and, in closing, he was
thrown.
6.—Sutton’s nob, from the milling it had undergone, and the singular
contrast of the red streams upon his coal black phiz, would have
been a fine subject for the strong imagination of a Fuseli. Some
reciprocal hitting occurred, when Painter’s back was accidentally
turned for an instant upon his opponent, but he soon righted
himself, and in a sharp contested rally planted a good blow on the
head of Sutton. In closing, Painter went down.
7.—In this round the superiority of fighting was decidedly on the
side of Painter, who, with much skill put in a “winder,” and also
planted a severe blow on his opponent’s punished head. The men
opposed each other like lions, till Painter fell, rather exhausted
from the exertions he had made. Sutton was equally distressed, and
staggered like a drunken man. He appeared scarcely to know where he
was.
8 to 10.—The fine condition of Painter was manifest in these rounds,
and he recovered himself with advantage in all of them. His improved
science was evident.
11.—Sutton proved himself a troublesome customer to be got rid of,
and in the most manly style he endeavoured to get a change in his
favour. The head of the Black, terrific to view, was again punished;
but the left ear of Painter received so sharp a hit that the blood
ran down his back. In closing, both down. It was evident Sutton was
beaten, and Tom Belcher went up and asked the question, but the
seconds of the Black reproved him for the interference.
12.—In this round Painter astonished his most intimate friends, from
the superiority of science he exhibited. Sutton had no chance left
him now but desperation, and he bored in, regardless of the
consequences. His nob came in contact with the left hand of Painter,
and the claret followed profusely. Still the gameness of Sutton was
not to be denied, and he contended bravely. Painter, in getting away
from his impetuosity, found himself awkwardly situated against the
stakes of the ring, when he fought his way out in the Randall style,
and extricated himself from his perilous position cleverly. He also
showed the advantage of giving, and the art of not receiving. The
Black’s nob was again punished out of all shape, and fibbed so
sharply that the claret flowed from his ear. It was a terrible
round, and Sutton was all but done.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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