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
65.—Langan, when at the scratch, not only showed fight, but hit
Spring on the head; the latter, however, had the best of the round,
though Langan got the throw, Spring undermost. (“Where’s the
brandy?” said Belcher. “Here it is,” replied Tom Cribb; “a brave
fellow shall not want for anything in my possession.” “Bravo!” cried
Belcher; “that’s friendly, and I won’t forget it.”)
66.—The chance was decidedly against the Irish Champion;
nevertheless, he attempted to be troublesome to his opponent. Spring
put in a nobber, and also threw him.
67.—Exchange of blows. A pause. Langan on the totter, but he planted
two slight hits on the Champion’s face. Spring followed him up, and
gave Langan two blows, one in the body and one in the head, which
dropped the hero of the black fogle.
68.—The bravery of Langan was equal to anything ever witnessed in
the prize ring. The hands of Spring were in such a swollen state
that he could scarcely close them, and most of his blows appeared to
be open-handed. Langan was hit down. (“Take him away!” “Do you hear
what they say, Jack?” said Belcher. “Yes,” replied Langan: “I will
not be taken away; I can win it yet.”)
69.—In struggling for the throw, Langan’s head fell against the
rails. Both down.
70.—Langan again napped on the nobbing system, and was sent down.
One hour and forty-two minutes had elapsed. (Loud cries of “Take him
away!”)
71.—The backers of Spring were anxious to have it over; and the
spectators in general cried out, on the score of humanity, that
Langan ought not to be suffered to fight any more. Colonel O’Neil,
the friend and backer of the Irish Champion, assured the umpire that
he did not want for humanity; and he was well satisfied in his own
mind that, from the tumefied state of Spring’s hands, no danger
could arise. Langan was fighting for £200 of his own money,
therefore he had no right to interfere; he had, previous to the
fight, left it in the hands of his skilful second, Belcher, who, he
was certain, would not suffer the fight to last longer than was safe
to all parties. Langan, after a short round, was sent down.
72.—Langan was brought to the scratch by Belcher, who said, “Fight,
my dear boy; Spring can’t hurt you.” Langan, with undaunted
resolution, plunged in to hit his opponent; but, after receiving
more punishment, was sent down. (Repeated cries of “Take him away!”)
73.—It was now evident to all persons that Langan, while he retained
the slightest knowledge of what he was about, would not give in.
Spring fibbed Langan as severely as he was able, to put an end to
the fight, till he went down. (Here Jack Randall came close to the
stage, and said, “Tom Belcher, take him away; he cannot win it now.”
“He says he will not, Jack, and that he can fight longer,” replied
Tom Belcher.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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