THE FIGHT.
Round 1.—No sparring. Several good hits put in and well stopped on both sides; they closed, and both fell.
3 and 4.—Both rounds greatly in favour of Ryan.
6.—This round was fought with determined courage. Belcher threw in a severe blow on his opponent’s temple, and brought him down. Ryan appeared a little distressed. (Seven to four on Belcher.)
18.—No great alteration up to this round, which was admirably contested on both sides. Belcher struck his opponent very cleverly over the mouth. Ryan rallied, and put in a knock-down blow; Belcher fell and evinced great weakness. From this to the
30th—Ryan supported his superiority, and the odds changed in his favour. Belcher’s friends now began greatly to despair of success, but still he displayed great science and steadiness.
31–34.—Every one of these rounds Ryan terminated by knocking down his opponent(?)
35.—James Belcher came and whispered to his brother, who seemed to profit by his advice, and contested the two following rounds with great skill and determination, but at the end of the
37th—He fell quite exhausted.
38.—Belcher was, however, brought up to stand another round, and Ryan immediately knocked him down. At this moment the ring was broken, and Belcher’s friends declared the last blow was foul. Bob Watson challenged to fight any man who should dare to say the blow was not foul, but his bluster soon evaporated on Joe Ward’s displaying buff. The affair was left to the gentleman who held the purse, and he decided that Ryan had won it, as Belcher was beaten full a quarter of an hour before. Many of the dons of the first class were there, as Berks, Mendoza, Joe Ward, Bill Warr, Jem Belcher, Holmes, etc.