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
10.—Oliver stopped a heavy hit of Donnelly’s, and laughed. But
Donnelly was not irritated, and got so much the best of this round
that Oliver was prevented from going heavily down by Shelton’s
putting out his knee to ease his fall. (Belcher warmly said, “If he
acted as foul again, he would knock a hole in his head;” and Randall
also observed, he would give him a “topper.” Shelton declared it was
an accidental entangling of his legs with Oliver’s, and was not done
from design.)
11.—Had Donnelly used his right hand he must have reduced the battle
to a certainty in his favour. This was, however, a sharp hitting
round, till both went down, Oliver again undermost.
12.—Although the fighting on either side had not been of the highest
order, yet the combatants were not insensible to the weight of each
other’s arms; and, after fighting up to the ropes, they both stood
still, till Donnelly broke away and made some hits. In again
closing, both down, Oliver undermost and much exhausted. Twenty-four
minutes had now elapsed.
13.—Donnelly, _sans cérémonie_, hit Oliver with his left on the
mouth, which sent him staggering from the scratch. In the corner of
the ring the struggle was severe to obtain the throw. Oliver
received a heavy blow on the throat, and as he was hanging on the
ropes, balancing, as it were, Donnelly lifted up his hands not to
hit him. (“Very handsome,” and “Bravo, Donnelly.”)
14.—For “big ones,” more smashing rounds might have been expected.
Oliver put in a mugger that made Donnelly stagger a little; but he
returned to the attack till he got Oliver down.
15.—Donnelly gave some hits that made Oliver reel from his position,
and also followed him up with success. At the ropes some exchanges
occurred, till Oliver went down.
16.—Oliver made a tremendous blow at the body, which Donnelly
stopped well. This was altogether a sharp round, and in the close in
the corner of the ring the struggle was so severe that the men
became exhausted, and were nearly falling over the ropes upon some
of the members of the P. C., when the cry was, “Separate them,”
which was done by the seconds, and the round ended. (“Bravo!” and
“Well done, both.”)
17.—Some heavy hitting occurred on both sides. Donnelly, on the
alert, followed Oliver all over the ring. The latter bled profusely,
and, in closing, Donnelly fell with his knees upon Oliver. This
circumstance occasioned some loud cries of “Foul,” “Fair,” etc.; but
the umpires did not deem it worthy of notice.
18.—Both down at the ropes. Some remarks were made that Donnelly had
taken advantage of the situation over Oliver. The umpire observed,
in such close quarters it was impossible to discriminate to a
nicety; but, from what he saw, he thought Donnelly had behaved
perfectly correct.
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