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
Slantlea began well: he took the lead, gave Langan several clumsy
thumps, and had decidedly the best of the Irish Champion for the first
four rounds. He sent Langan down three times by nobbing hits; and the
friends of the former laughed heartily at the idea of his paying off
Slantlea for waiting for him. “You have got your master now, Jack,
before you.” “Be aisy,” replied Langan; “I have trained by the advice of
Dan Donnelly; I’m sure I’ll bate any opponent; only look, I’m just going
to begin!” and letting fly his left hand in full force upon Slantlea’s
head, the latter fell as if he had been shot. Poor Slantlea never
recovered from the effects of this blow; but he proved himself a game
man for thirteen rounds, when he received a finisher. It was over in
thirty-five minutes.
A porter of the name of Dalton, employed at the Irish Custom-house—a
Josh. Hudson in nature, but so fond of milling that hardly a fellow
round the Custom-house dared look at him—challenged Langan. “By the
powers of Moll Kelly,” said Dalton, “he shall find he will have
something more to do in bating me than he had with Slantlea.” The battle
took place in Gloucester-fields. Dalton pelted away like a bull-dog for
four rounds, but Langan put an end to his ferocity in the course of
three more. At the expiration of twenty-five minutes Dalton was rendered
as harmless as a mouse.
Pat Halton, at this period, was called “Donnelly’s boy;” in fact, he was
the avowed pupil of the late Irish Knight of the Sod. Langan and Halton
met at Donnelly’s house, and a match was made between them, to fight at
Ballinden-Scorney, in the county of Wicklow. On the day appointed, a
great muster of the Fancy took place; but the multitude was compelled to
separate by the horse-police, and to cross the water to form a new ring.
During the interregnum, Halton went into a public-house, kept by one
Maguire, and took a glass of liquor. When he was called out to meet
Langan, he complained that the liquor he had drunk was bad, and had made
him so unwell that he was not able to fight. Langan, of course, claimed
the money, but the stakeholder would not part with it. However, by way
of some compensation to our hero, the subscription money, £19, which had
been collected from the spectators for the privilege of the inner ring,
was given to him. This disappointment produced “lots of grumbling,”
until a new match was made. Langan full of gaiety, fond of company, and
much caressed by his friends, lived freely till his money was nearly
gone, when he was called upon once more to enter the ring with Halton.
Jack had not above a day to prepare himself, while it was said that
Halton had been training upon the sly, at Bray. “Devil may care,”
replied Langan, when he was told of it; “I am ready, even without
butter-milk, this time.”[12] On the Curragh of Kildare this battle took
place. It is but fair to state, that the mill between Langan and Halton
has been differently reported; but we are credibly informed that the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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