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
Round 1.—On stripping, the appearance of Hickman was fine, and no
man ever had more attention paid him, being trained in a right
sporting place, where many gentlemen belonging to the Hertfordshire
Hunt had an opportunity of watching him. Cooper looked pale, and his
legs had not quite recovered from a severe attack of boils. It was
evident Cooper was not in tip-top condition; in fact, the time was
too short to get his legs well. On setting-to, little sparring
occurred; Cooper, with much science, broke away from the furious
attacks of the Gas-light Man. The latter, however, followed him, and
planted two slight hits, when Cooper kept retreating; but on
Hickman’s rushing in furiously to plant a hit, Cooper, with the
utmost severity, met him with a most tremendous left-handed hit on
the left cheek, just under his eye, that floored him like a shot,
and his knees went under him. (To describe the shouting would be
impossible; and several persons roared out, “Cooper for £100!” and
“The Gas must lose it.” Even betting was offered, and some roared
out seven to four.)
2 and last.—The Gas Man came up rather heavy: it was a stunning hit;
his cheek was swelled, and the claret appeared on it. He, however,
was not at all dismayed, and went to work with the utmost gaiety.
Cooper broke ground in great style, but missed several hits; if any
one of these had told, perhaps it might have decided the battle.
Hickman followed him close to the ropes, at which Cooper, finding
himself bored in upon by his opponent, endeavoured to put in a
stopper, but the blow passed by the head of his adversary, when
Hickman, in the most prompt and astonishing manner, put in a
tremendous hit, which alighted just under Cooper’s ear, that not
only floored him, but sent him out of the ropes like a shot. Belcher
and Harmer could not lift him up, and when time was called he was as
dead as a house, and could not come to the scratch. The sensation
round the ring cannot be depicted: and the spectators were in a
state of alarm. Cooper was thus disposed of in the short space of
three minutes. The Gas-light Man also seemed amazed: he was quite a
stranger to the state of Cooper, and asked why they did not bring
him to the scratch. Belcher endeavoured to lift Cooper off Harmer’s
knee, when his head, in a state of stupor, immediately dropped.
“Why, he is licked,” cried Randall. The circumstance was so
singular, that, for the instant, Randall and Shelton seemed at a
loss to know what to do, till, recollecting themselves, they
appealed to the umpires, and took Hickman out of the ring, put him
in a post-chaise, and drove off for St. Alban’s. In the course of a
minute or so Cooper recovered from his trance, but was quite unable
to recollect what had occurred; he said to Belcher, “What! have I
been fighting?” declaring that he felt as if he had just awoke out
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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