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
REMARKS.—Painter, although defeated, has not fallen in the
estimation of his friends. His courage was equal to the task he had
to accomplish. In point of science he was far superior to his
opponent; but in strength he was materially deficient. It was a
complete sporting fight, and the odds were continually changing. Two
better men never had a meeting; and a more determined battle could
not be witnessed. Sutton has raised himself in the opinion of the
amateurs, and he is considered to have evinced as much pluck, if not
more, than any man of colour that has yet exhibited. Though his
exterior did not show much punishment, yet his cheeks had a
“rainbow” appearance. He is not likely to remain long in a state of
inactivity, and will certainly prove a desperate customer to any one
who dares contend with him. His prodigious length of arm is of great
advantage; and he is pronounced by the best informed upon this
subject to be the hardest hitter on the present list of boxers.
Sutton owed his success greatly to the management and prompt
determination of his second, Tom Oliver. Painter never fought so
well before. He stopped fifty blows at least with his right hand,
and also punished Sutton severely about the body. Upon the whole, it
was one of the evenest contended battles that had been viewed for a
long time, until the last seven rounds, when, during some of these
Painter strained every effort to turn the chance in his favour. What
the human frame could perform towards obtaining conquest this
determined boxer attempted. He actually fought till nature refused
to move. So much regret was never expressed upon the defeat of any
pugilist as upon this occasion, owing to Painter’s inoffensive
disposition and respectful behaviour in society at all times.
The sporting amateurs of Norwich desiring a fight in their vicinity,
had, it seems, subscribed the sum of £100, £80 to the winner and £20 to
the losing man, and Painter having challenged Sutton, to a second trial,
they were offered a premium to bring off the affair at Bungay Common,
Suffolk, the day appointed being the 16th of December, 1817. The battle
was truly tremendous, and after fifteen rounds, all fighting, in one
hour and forty-two minutes, Sutton was carried from the ring. (_See_
PAINTER, _ante_ p. 79.)
The no-fight between Shelton and Oliver which took the fancy on a wild
goose chase to Blindlow Heath and Copthorne, on the tempestuous 23rd of
December, 1819, led to another black job for Massa Sutton. Kendrick, the
black, had come down that day, determined, he said, to fight anybody,
should there be a purse, after the “big affair,” and resolved, moreover,
to have “a bit of beef for his Christmas dinner.” Fifteen guineas were
collected, when Sutton, considering it an easy prize, offered himself
for a game at “black and all black.” At three o’clock the men faced each
other, Randall looking after Kendrick, and Jack Martin attending upon
Sutton.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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