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
27.—Donnelly came up weak and out of wind, but his confidence had
not left him, and he gave Oliver a slight facer with his left hand.
In struggling, both down, Oliver undermost. Fifty minutes had
elapsed. Donnelly had received some heavy blows about the head and
neck; nevertheless, it was said by his seconds that he was not
distressed by the punishment he had received, but had drank too much
water. It is true that many of his backers changed their situations,
and went to different parts of the ring to get their money off.
28.—Great anxiety now prevailed among the partisans of Donnelly.
Some hits passed to the advantage of Oliver, when Donnelly went
down. (The odds were now upon Oliver all round the ring; but
Donnelly’s staunchest friends, having no reason to doubt his pluck,
took them in numerous instances.)
29.—The men were both upon their mettle, and this round was a good
one. The combatants closed, but broke away. Oliver made a hit on
Donnelly’s face, laughed, and jumped back. The Irish champion,
however, got a turn, and with his left hand planted a rum one on
Oliver’s mouth that sent him staggering away. Donnelly, however,
received a teazer; sharp exchanges till Donnelly fell, with Oliver
upon him.
30.—One hour had expired, and all bets upon that score were lost.
Oliver again bodied his opponent, but received a staggering hit on
his mug in return. Some exchanges took place till Oliver went down.
31.—The eye of Donnelly began to resume its former fire; his wind
appeared improved, and he rather took the lead in this round.
Donnelly hit Oliver down, but also fell from a slip; in fact from
the force of his own blow.
32.—The Irish champion had evidently got second wind, and, upon
Oliver’s receiving a hit on the mouth that sent him some yards from
his position, Randall offered to back Donnelly for a level £200.
After an exchange of hits, Shelton said, “It was no more use for
Donnelly to hit Oliver than a tree, for that Oliver was as hard as
iron.” “Nabocleish,” cried a Patlander; “it’s all right. Now, Dan,
show your opponent some play.” Some sharp hitting till both resorted
to sparring. The men fought into a close, and broke away. The
hitting was now so sharp that Oliver turned round to avoid the heavy
punishment with which he was assailed, and fell, and Donnelly also
slipped down. (“Bravo!” from all parts of the ring. “Well done,
Oliver!” “Go along, Donnelly!”)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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