31 to 34.—The right hand of Massa was continually at work, and he punished Cooper considerably about the head. This last round was severely contested. Cooper could not get his distance to make a hit, the Black bored so much upon him. The claret was now running down Cooper’s face; he, however, got a turn, and sent Massa down.
35.—Cooper made some hits; but the Black sent him down.
36 to 40.—In some of these rounds Cooper planted a few hits, but they were not effective. The Black disregarded them and took the bottle to drink. Cooper fell from a blow much exhausted. Some long faces were to be seen; indeed, so confident were some of the amateurs present, that Cooper was backed at odds that he won it in a quarter of an hour, but these bets had long been decided. The Black was now taken, that Cooper did not beat him in fifty minutes.
41.—The Black put in a tremendous smasher on Cooper’s nose, the claret appeared, and he went down distressed.
42 to 50.—Massa was yet strong; and the encouragement of “Bravo!” and “The Black must win it,” and “I’ll have the Black for £100,” gave him greater confidence; and he not only continued rushing, but had the best of it. He hit Cooper down severely.
51 to 53.—These were sharp rounds, but Cooper could not turn the chance against him, and great alarm was felt by his friends that the man of colour would, ultimately triumph. Both down.
54.—The Black was severely thrown.
55.—Massa confidently went up to his opponent and paid away with his right hand. Some sharp exchanges followed: but Cooper received so severe a nobber, that he fell down and turned on his face. The Black was now decidedly the favourite.
56.—Cooper had scarcely been seated on the knee of his bottle-holder ten seconds, when a gentleman who had backed Massa, called out, “Time, time.” The umpire, with much animation, demanded to know his reason for so doing, as well as pointing out to him the impropriety of such conduct. It caused no further interruption. In closing, Cooper was down.
57 to 60.—In one of these rounds Cooper was heavily hit down. The cognoscenti were utterly astonished; and the pugilists present could scarcely believe that the scientific Cooper was fighting. A novice, completely unknown to the ring, was positively getting the best of him, and, to all appearance, winning the fight. “What are you about, Cooper?” was the cry.