4.—This was a good round. The blows of Hudson were heavy; and Cannon found out, if not stopped, they were likely to prove dangerous. The bargeman put in a sharp hit in the wind which made Josh. blow again; however, Cannon’s mug showed the handiwork of Josh., and the claret was conspicuous about it. Another rally, hit for hit, but which ended to the advantage of Cannon, who again got Josh down. (The Windsor folks were full of joy, and opened their mouths as wide as barn-doors, vociferating, “You have done the job.”)
5.—Hudson, game as a pebble, stuck to his man like glue, and a terrible rally was the finishing stroke of the round. Both down; by a sudden effort of Hudson he threw Cannon over him.
6.—The bargeman was piping a little, but nothing in comparison to his opponent. Some ugly thumps passed on both sides. In struggling for the throw, Cannon was undermost. (“Well done, Josh.!”)
7.—Cannon found he had his work to do, although his adversary was so fat and out of condition. Josh. stopped his attempts; but Cannon bored in and nobbed Hudson. The latter in turn administered pepper; however, in closing, the strength of the bargeman gave him the best of it. He fibbed Hudson, got him across the ropes, and punished him down. (“Foul, foul!” “Fair, fair!”)
8.—This was a fighting round altogether; but if Josh. put in a heavy blow Cannon planted two for it. The John Bull boxer was punished terribly till down. Twelve minutes and a half.
9.—In this early stage of the fight the backers of Hudson saw, with tears in their ogles, that the chance was against him, therefore they now had only his game to stand upon. In closing, both down.
10.—In all the previous battles of Hudson he was never so roughly handled before, without returning the compliment. Josh. now felt that his own weight was too much for his legs, and he staggered about and missed two well-intended nobbers. Cannon, in a most determined and clever style, floored the John Bull Fighter like a shot. This blow operated like the shock of an earthquake upon the nerves of the backers of Josh.; their peepers seemed too big for their heads, and they stared like stuck pigs. (The odds were dropped, and Cannon decidedly the favourite.)
11.—Hudson had not strength enough to follow up his wishes; indeed, it was Sir John Falstaff in trouble. “Go it, my Joshy; it’s all your own.” “You can lick twenty countrymen yet.” “When you say ‘No,’ it will be a fine treat for Cannon;” and a thousand other things were uttered to inspire the John Bull Fighter with new ardour for conquest. But Josh. seemed to have lost all his chaffing—the customer before him was rather too serious for a joke, and his time was too much occupied to attempt to be funny. Hudson, full of pluck, endeavoured resolutely to take the lead, and certainly was mischievous; but the bargeman was too good: he had the best of it, and threw Josh. across the ropes.
12.—This round was unimportant. Cannon slipped, and fell down while attempting to plant a hit. (“He’s getting weak, Josh.; Cannon will soon cut it.” “Walker,” replied Tom Cribb. “Cut it, indeed; why, he’s won it. But never mind; go on, and you’ll soon find it out.”)
13.—This was a bang-up round on both sides, and Cannon full of mischief. A terrible rally; no favours asked; hit for hit given, till Hudson was almost abroad. In this rally Josh. put in a tremendous facer, that for an instant Cannon seemed almost at a stand-still, and in a state of stupor. He, however, recovered, and got Hudson down. The Windsor folks were now all happiness, laughing at the poor Cockneys and the knowing ones. During the time Cannon was on the ground he also showed great distress; and if Hudson had possessed anything like his strength in former battles, he might have gone in now with a great chance of winning. But poor Josh., on leaving the knee of his second, was twice as much exhausted as Cannon; the chance and betting was now six to four against him.