4.—Shelton’s lip bleeding, showed the first blood, and Josh’s face was beginning to swell. The fine fighting of Shelton was conspicuous; but the youth and true courage of Hudson would not be denied; and although the latter napped dreadfully at every turn, he hit Shelton down. (There was a roar of roars from the Towerites, and two to one on Josh.)
5.—The fighting now was truly desperate on both sides; Shelton well-timed his opponent, and sent him staggering away by three repeated facers without any return; yet the goodness of Josh was so high that he finished the round in great style, and had Shelton again down.
6.—Josh’s face was now cut to pieces, and Shelton’s in a bad plight; both piping. The latter turned round from the severity of the hitting, but once more resumed fighting like a game cock till both down. (Shouting for Hudson.)
7.—Both terribly distressed, but Shelton down.
8.—This was a short round, but terrific from the execution done. Shelton nobbed Josh at every turn, and milled him down.
9.—Josh, like a game cock, disputed every inch of ground till he went down distressed beyond representation. (Still his sanguine friends considered him winning, and offered two to one.)
10.—In this round it might be termed “anybody’s battle;” but the courage on the one side, and the manliness on the other, exceeded all praise. Both down. (Five and six to one on Hudson.)
11.—Josh commenced fighting; but his terrific points were gone, and he began to hit round. Shelton planted three or four tremendous facers, the claret following every hit. Still Josh was dangerous. Shelton going down, quite exhausted, had the worst of the ending of the round. (The friends of Josh were sanguine enough to offer ten to one.)
12.—Both in the greatest distress till down.
13.—Shelton had the best of the fighting, but fell on his face exhausted, and Josh went down quite as bad. Still Josh was the favourite.