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 second mill of Jem Ward and Sampson came off at Perry Lodge, on the
estate of the Duke of Grafton, about four miles beyond Stony Stratford.
The attendance of the London division was not large, but from the
neighbouring counties the muster was numerous. The total of the whole
assemblage is estimated by a contemporary chronicler at 5,000 at the
least; and although heavy rain fell throughout the day, every spectator
remained till the conclusion of the interesting contest. The men arrived
upon the ground about half-past twelve; Paddington Jones again attended
upon Ward, and had upon the same side, as his brother second, Tom
Oliver, known till our own time as the Commissary of the P.R. Peter
Crawley and a Birmingham Friend (not a Quaker) picked up Sampson. Both
men were in excellent condition; Sampson, whose weight was nearly
thirteen stone, is praised for “looking better than in their former
encounter;” we suspect the lack of physiological judgment in the
reporter here, and should say “there was too much of him.” Ward was
twelve stone seven pounds. The betting was anything but brisk—Ward, the
favourite; but his partisans were lukewarm, and the “hardware lads”
wanted long odds.
THE FIGHT.
Round 1.—The men were brought to the scratch at a quarter to one,
and instantly threw themselves into position. Sampson’s manner was
firm and imposing, and his looks betokened a determination to do his
best. Ward gathered himself into as narrow a compass as possible,
and, throwing his head and shoulders back, worked about his terrific
left hand with an evident intention to bring it into action as
speedily as circumstances would admit, while with his right he kept
a steady guard. Sparring for a short time. Ward let fly his left,
but was stopped. Sampson countered, but was stopped also. Sampson
broke ground, but was again stopped, when Ward rushed to fight, and
caught Sampson on the pudding-trap, rattling his grinders in a very
musical manner. Sampson returned very slightly, and in a close, Ward
was thrown, Sampson on him. Ward picked himself up and laughed.
2.—On coming to the scratch, Sampson showed first paint, from the
larboard corner of his muzzle, but he was still firm and cheerful.
Ward came up steady, and after a short manœuvre threw another
chattering smack on Sampson’s gob with his right. Sampson rushed in
to fight, but was well stopped. In the close, Sampson fell, and Ward
close to him.
3.—All doubts of Ward’s meaning to win had now passed away, and two
to one was offered freely upon him, but no takers. Sampson, anxious
to go in, hit out at Ward’s nob, and caught him slightly. Ward was
with him, and returned with interest. Sampson, not dismayed, went at
him again, and caught him on the face. Ward fell from the slippery
state of the ground, and the force of the blow.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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 — John Shaqi
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