THE FIGHT.
Round 1.—On the combatants approaching each other, and shaking hands in the usual way, the difference of person was so manifest that an ordinary spectator must have given the preference to the Baker, from the roundness of his frame, the firmness of his step, and the cheerfulness of his countenance. He must have been a novice, indeed, not to have discovered the wretched condition of Sam upon his throwing off his clothes. His ribs were spare in the extreme; his face, which hitherto had assumed such a formidable aspect, and his fierce eyes that seemed upon similar occasions to have penetrated into the very souls of his opponents, appeared clouded with doubt and anxiety. It was altogether a different frontispiece. Dejection, arising from dissipation, was marked strongly on his features. As for his legs, as if Sam had anticipated that they might tell against him, he, for the first time in his life, preferred fighting in gaiters and breeches. The tout ensemble portrayed, a worn-out man rather than a boxer entering the prize-ring, prepared to vanquish youth, health, and strength. But all these objections were as a feather in the scale against the Jew. Weather could not affect him; no one could punish him; he hit as hard as Cribb; he was no mannerist; he set-to a hundred different ways; he altered his mode of fighting as circumstances required. Many seemed really to think, and plenty were forward enough to urge, that Sam was as well, if not better, without training, than undergoing the systematic precaution of invigorating the stamina. In short, he was the phenomenon of the fighting world; everything but a losing man. The recollection that he had beaten all the best men for a series of years that had been pitted against him, gave a double confidence to these sanguine opinions; and what was Sam now called upon to perform at the top of his glory? Why, to enter the lists with a boxer, who, to say the best, was but of considerable obscurity. Who for a moment would listen to a comparison made between Nosworthy and the hardy and brave Champion of Westminster, who had fallen beneath the conquering arm of Sam? or with that truly elegant scientific pugilist, Tom Belcher, who had twice surrendered up his laurels to this distinguished Jew. Cropley too, who ought never to be mentioned without praise, ranking as a superior scientific boxer, was tremendously beaten by him; and his last antagonist, Ben Medley, possessing sound fighting pretensions, true game, and science, was reluctantly compelled to acknowledge his vast superiority. The renowned Dutch Sam was once more before his friends; and his fanciers were so confident of his adding another laurel to his brow, that bets to an extravagant amount were loudly offered. To have named the Baker as having anything like a chance, was out of the question; but, at this period, to have proposed an even bet that Nosworthy won, would have been laughed at, as betraying a total ignorance in matters of sport. Such was the state of things upon the combatants facing each other; and the great superiority of the Jew was expected to be witnessed every instant. The decision was near at hand, and the Baker, eager to commence the attack, displayed more of valorous spirit than scientific precision. In making play, his distances proved incorrect, and two blows fell short. Sam gained nothing by this opening. Nosworthy, full of resolution, followed up the Jew, appearing rather too rapid in his manner to take any particular aim, and seemed to prefer going in, to trusting to those advantages that are sometimes obtained in sparring. Sam made a slight hit upon the Baker’s nob, but ultimately went down.
2.—The eagerness of the Baker appeared to supersede every other consideration. He again hit short; but Sam did not miss this opportunity, and returned right and left, drawing the cork of the Master of the Rolls. Nosworthy, it seemed, had made up his mind to smash the Jew, and, in his haste to get at Sam, slipped and fell.
3.—The Baker, determined in his mode of warfare, resolutely made up to Sam, but the Jew warded off the force of the blows with much adroitness. Nosworthy received a hit from Sam, and went down, but his fall was attributed more to the slippery state of the turf than to the severity of the blow.
4.—This round commenced with severe fighting, and much activity was displayed on both sides. Some good hits were exchanged. The Baker drove Sam before him to the ropes, and here it was that Nosworthy showed his superiority by putting in three tremendous blows. Sam fell, evidently distressed, and his breath was nearly hit out of his body, by a terrible blow he received upon his breast. His friends, however, thought that his conduct was a mere ruse de guerre. In fact, nothing could shake their opinion that the Jew was playing a sure game, by letting the Baker make the most of his strength, in order that, at a more advanced stage of the battle, he would become exhausted, when he might be easily “kneaded” to answer the purpose of the Israelite.
5.—It was in this round that Sam found out what sort of a customer he had to deal with. He was also convinced, too late, that the chance was against him: he could not resist the hardy blows of the Baker, nor had he room enough to get away from him. Sam’s hits produced no effect upon the courage of Nosworthy, who went in in such an unusual manner to anything the Jew had experienced with any of his other competitors, that he was confounded. His wonted fortitude seemed to have deserted him, and dismay taken possession of his mind: he went down quite exhausted. But however Sam might feel that he was sent down against his will, it did not appear in that light to his backers, who generally looked upon this as nothing more than artifice of the Jew to weaken and tire out his adversary. A few persons who were not quite so infatuated with the appearance of things, hedged off a little of their four to one. Some others ventured upon even betting; but this latter circumstance was by no means general.
6.—Sam was scarcely upon his legs and set-to, when Nosworthy put in a blow that sent him down.
7.—The Baker, always ready, proved himself a resolute and skilful boxer. He did not wish to lose time by any useless display of scientific attitudes. The proud name of Sam proved no terror or drawback to his exertions: he went in with as much gaiety as if he had been only contending with a novice, instead of fighting with a boxer who had performed such wonders in the pugilistic annals. Nosworthy planted some good blows, and the Jew was again down on the turf.
8.—The science of Sam was conspicuous in this round, but the strength of his opponent was not to be reduced. The Jew put in some good hits in a smart rally, but he could not divert the Baker from his purpose, and Sam went down again much exhausted.
9.—Nosworthy commenced this round with his usual spirit, by driving Sam again to the ropes, where he punished him severely. Sam, notwithstanding, planted some hard blows, but the impetuosity of the Baker carried all before him. The best efforts of the Jew, however well directed, seemed as useless as if he had been trying to stem a torrent. At this period the deeply-interested ones perceived something in the Baker they had not expected. That a chance must not be thrown away when four to one had been betted. A bustle now commenced, and the outer ring was broken. The populace pressed heavily against the roped ring, bearing down all opposition to keep them off, and many persons crossed the ropes, to the confusion of the combatants. However we might be disposed to attribute this disorder of the ring as the effect of accident, owing to the great concourse of spectators, to what account can we place the conduct of a strong man endeavouring to force out of the ground one of the stakes which supported the ring, and which attempt was only prevented by the manly interference of the Champion of England? Nosworthy appeared at the mark, and called out to Sam to observe he was ready, but the Jew declined setting-to till the ring was cleared out. It may not be improper here to remark that, if Sam had decidedly felt in his own person he was, or must be eventually beaten, if he continued the contest, it is natural to infer that he would have saved the money of his friends by taking the advantage of this interruption in making at least a drawn battle; but the Jew wished to fight it out. In clearing out the ring, the confusion beggared all description. The whips and sticks were laid on heavily. In the course of about twelve minutes the desired object was attained, when the combatants once more commenced operations.