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
10.—It was evident to every one that Langan up to this time had had
the worst of it, and the general opinion was, that he must lose the
battle. Spring planted two successive blows, without any return.
Langan was getting better, and made an exchange of blows with some
effect. Belcher again cried out, “Fight, Jack.” In struggling for
the throw, Paddy O’Neil sung out, “Give him a back fall, Jack, but
don’t hurt him;” and, sure enough, Mr. Spring did receive a back
fall.
11.—Langan was now fast recovering his second wind and went to work.
An exchange of blows; a pause. Langan planted a slight body hit with
his left hand. Counter-hits. Langan down, Spring on him.
12.—In the struggle for the throw, Spring was undermost. (“Bravo,
Langan!”) The head of the Champion had an ugly knock against the
lower rail of the stage.
13.—Spring proved himself a most difficult boxer to get at; however,
Langan got in a body blow. In closing, both down, Spring uppermost.
14.—Spring getting weak, Langan improving: so said the most
experienced judge of boxing belonging to the P. C. Indeed, it is
accounted for without difficulty; as a superior fighter Spring ought
not to have wrestled so much with his opponent. The strongest man in
the world must have felt weakness had he been engaged in such
violent pulling, hauling, grappling, and catching hold of each
other’s hands. This round was little more than a struggle for the
throw; Langan undermost.
15.—It was now known to all the ring that the left hand of Spring
was gone; indeed; it was swelled and puffed like a blister. Langan
planted a left-handed blow, but Spring stopped his right. In
closing, the struggle was great, and, as Langan was going down,
Spring hit his nob. (“Foul, foul!” It was unintentional on the part
of Spring; he was in the act of hitting, and therefore, it could not
be decided wrong.)[7]
16.—Under all circumstances, Langan was a troublesome customer. The
remarks made by some persons were, that he did not fight well,
though they were compelled to allow that he was an extraordinary
game man. The counter-hits in this round were again well placed; but
it was regretted, by several sporting men, to see such numerous
struggles. Yet, to their credit be it spoken, neither of the men
wished to go down unhandsomely, which accounts for so much
wrestling. Both went down together; Langan patted the back of Spring
with the utmost good humour, both smiling.
17.—The fine science of Spring was again exhibited in skilfully
stopping his opponent; but, in closing, he received a dangerous
cross-buttock, which shook him terribly, and his legs rebounded from
the ground. (A cheering burst of applause for Langan.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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