Round 1.—This was little more than sparring. The Diamond put in a blow, but no harm done.
4.—Well contested. Maddox showed considerable skill, and finished it by closing his opponent’s eye. (Odds rose two to one in favour of George.) From this to the
30th.—Nothing of consequence happened; both men fought desperately, Maddox with great tact as well as pluck, and each endeavoured to out-do his opponent. Maddox by this time finding his antagonist possessed good bottom, exerted his utmost to blind him, and hit always at his head, Cribb fighting with undaunted courage.
40.—By this time they had fought exactly an hour, and Cribb’s eye was severely hurt. (Odds four to one on Maddox.) To the
52nd.—Was a continued series of hard fighting.
53.—Odds again rose in favour of Maddox, and he put in a most severe blow a little beneath his opponent’s left eye, which perfectly closed it. The fight had now lasted one hour and a half; but from this to the
60th.—Maddox continued to lose ground, becoming almost worn out. The friends and partisans of Maddox perceiving this, got up a row in another part of the ring, and his seconds led him off, declaring it a drawn battle. On this Cribb demanded the purse; but this was refused, and a general engagement ensued. Caleb Baldwin, Tom Jones, Black Sam, Dutch Sam, and the spectators took a very active share. During the scuffle some ruffian treacherously cut Cribb over the head with a stick. Order, however, was, after some time, restored, and Cribb insisted either on the purse or that his antagonist should return to the combat. This generous offer was to Maddox’s friends a perfect poser, but rather than lose ‘the cole,’ they brought George out of a hackney coach to renew the fight, and the combatants again set-to. They supported the contest for sixteen rounds, making in all seventy-six, and the time two hours and twelve minutes, when George, thoroughly exhausted, gave in. Cribb, having but just come forward, found but few friends, and consequently was obliged to put up with much unfair play.
Such is the contemporary report, and one that shows that the “win, tie, or wrangle” school is not altogether modern, and that ruffians at the ring side, as elsewhere, were among our grandfathers as in the present time. Cribb’s reputation rose greatly by the coolness, even temper, and game he displayed, as a novice contending against one of the best and most experienced tacticians of his time.
Young Cribb was well in three days, and at the Fives Court, where he was challenged by Tom Blake (Tom Tough). See Appendix, ante, p. 236. Preliminaries were quickly arranged, and a month’s time given, February 15th, 1805, being appointed, on which day they met on Blackheath. We quote the report:—
THE FIGHT.