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
4.—The backers of Ward were in high glee—it was all right; and Abbot
received another fall ready to burst him.
5.—Abbot received a severe hit, and fell on his knees.
6 to 8.—In all these rounds Abbot appeared perfectly stupid from the
repeated conkers he received, and the severe falls he experienced.
(Five and six to one.)
9 to 12.—Abbot was so much at a loss that his blows were thrown
away; in fact, he had not the shadow of a chance. In the last round
he received a tremendous cross-buttock.
13 to 17.—The whole of the minds of the amateurs were so much made
up in consequence of the superior talents displayed by Ward, who did
as he liked with his opponent, that ten to one was offered, but no
takers.
18.—Abbot hit down, and the battle was considered all but over; so
much so that Belcher left the ring to get his pigeon to convey the
intelligence to town of the defeat of Abbot. On crossing the river
at Hampton, the first party he met in a boat he asked who had won
the battle. “Abbot,” was the reply. “Impossible!” said Belcher. He
also inquired of another party. “Abbot,” was the answer. “It can’t
be—you certainly must be mistaken,” rejoined the hero of the Castle.
In the third boat he saw Abbot and his second, when he repeated his
inquiries; and on being informed that Abbot was the winner, Tom
replied, “I’m now satisfied,” and immediately sent up the pigeon,
with Abbot’s name attached to it instead of Ward’s.
19.—At the conclusion of this round, Eales, observing something
wrong in his man, called out to Ward’s backer, who immediately
stepped into the ring, when Eales, with much indignation, observed,
“Ward says he means to cut it this round, he shall lose it.” “No,”
replied his backer.
20.—Ward now endeavoured to drop fighting, in order to give Abbot a
chance; and actually, in an under tone, said to Abbot, “Now hit me.”
When Eales remonstrated with him for such conduct, he observed, “I
know my orders—I must not win it.” (A hundred to one on Ward.)
21.—Ward gave his opponent all the opportunity he could; but Abbot
was so distressed that he could scarcely knock a fly off a leaf.
Ward took care to go down.
22 and last.—Ward went down after a slight skirmish, and on being
picked up and placed on his second’s knee, he smiled, but
recollecting “his orders,” and for fear that Abbot should give in,
he went off in a swoon, and when “Time” was called, he would not
notice it till he thought proper to come to, and quit the ring.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account