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.—Both men came up somewhat exhausted, for there was no breathing
time taken on either side. Ben tried his left, but was stopped; and
the return from Tom’s left on his knowledge box was neat, though
with little severity. Oliver again dropped heavily on Ben’s ribs
with his right and no return. A splendid rally, in which the “old
uns” fought with signal bravery. Tom, however, had the advantage of
hitting, as Ben’s right kept dropping, in spite of hints from Sam to
keep it up. The jobbing with the left was effective on both sides;
but in the end, after a desperate rally, in which both were piping
and weak, and yawing like a ship in a storm, Uncle Ben dropped
exhausted.
6 and last.—Notwithstanding Ben’s distress in the last round he came
up with unshrinking bravery, although looking blue. And “now came
the tug of war,” for, in point of punishment, the men were pretty
much on a par, and all seemed to depend on their physical strength.
Ben’s right guard still drooped, and Oliver commenced by giving him
a job with his left. Ben was not idle, and returned; repeated
counter hits were given, and Oliver delivered both right and left
with precision, although not with much force; still the blows told
on a man already on the go, and at last, in the close, both went
down, Ben under. It was now all over, and, on time being called, Ben
was declared incapable of coming again. Oliver, who had every reason
to be glad his labours were brought to a conclusion, was immediately
hailed as the victor, amidst the shouts of his friends; but he was
some time before he was sufficiently master of his motions to quit
the ring. Burn received every attention from his “Nevvy,” and
complained that he felt the effects of a rupture, under which he had
been long labouring. It was this which induced Jem Burn not to let
him get up for another round, though he wished it. The fight lasted
exactly twenty-four minutes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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