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
The milling qualities of Sutton being now better understood, he was
matched with Robinson; and these men of colour met at Doncaster Races,
September 25, 1816. The fight took place in a paddock (where each
spectator was charged three shillings as the price of admission), in a
twenty feet roped ring, for a subscription purse. Robinson, who had
twice fought with Carter, and defeated Stephenson, Butcher, etc., was
seconded by Crouch and Saunders, and, in consequence of his boxing
notoriety, five to four was betted upon him, in the metropolis, and six
to four upon his setting-to in the ring. Sutton was attended by Richmond
and Harmer. At half past twelve the signal was given, and offensive
operations commenced without farther ceremony. It appears in the first
round that Robinson sustained so severe a hit from his opponent that it
quite spoiled him as to any vigorous exertion afterwards. An appeal was
made to the umpires upon this momentous point, on which the fate of the
battle hung; but these rustic arbiters of milling, not ignorant of the
precedents of Moulsey, or the practice at Coombe Warren, and not wishing
to make a chancery suit of it, instantly ordered the fight to proceed.
The long arms of Sutton not only took great liberties with the upper
works of Robinson, but soon put the wind of the latter out of order, and
ultimately made him measure his length upon the ground. The betting now
rapidly changed, and Sutton became the favourite, with odds upon him. It
was all up with Robinson, and during twenty-five rounds he had no
opportunity of turning the battle in his favour; and in thirty-six
minutes, after receiving a severe milling, he was compelled to
acknowledge that he had had “enough!” It is but fair to state that he
was out of condition, never had any training, was overturned in the
coach, and entered the ring within a very few hours after his journey
from London. But the knowing ones asserted Sutton could beat him at any
time, and that he would soon look out for a customer much higher on the
boxing list than ever Robinson stood. Sutton was scarcely hurt, and gave
visible proof of the great improvement he had made. Sutton by the above
battle gained little more than the honour of proving a conqueror.
From the capabilities displayed by Sutton in this fight he rose in the
estimation of the patrons of scientific boxing, and was judged an able
competitor for the game Ned Painter. A match was accordingly made
between them, for 25 guineas a-side and a P. C. purse, and they entered
the lists at Moulsey Hurst on July 23, 1817.
Painter at this time had been the victor in two battles, over Coyne, the
Irishman, and Alexander, the gamekeeper; but he had two defeats, _per
contra_, with Tom Oliver (then in his best day), and with the gigantic
Shaw, the Life-guardsman, a defeat without disgrace. The betting on the
day was six to four on Painter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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