11 to 17.—Oliver recovered, it is true, in some degree, from the severity of the fall which he received in the sixth round; but he could make no change; in fact, the chance was decidedly against him. In this round, Spring punished Oliver till he went down. The truth was, Oliver could not get at Spring.
18.—This was a sharp round, and Oliver exerted himself to win, but without effect. It was thought Spring had hit Oliver foul, but it was a blow he put in as Oliver was going down. Spring, in finishing this round, put in some tremendous body blows, after the quick manner of Randall.
19.—Clark, the friend of Oliver, now thinking that Oliver could not win, went into the ring and threw up his hat; but Oliver would continue the fight till he was hit down. Oliver might be said to be dragged up by his second, Tom Owen, who exerted himself to the utmost degree to bring the old Westminster hero through the piece. Richmond also paid every attention, but the fight was completely out of him, and the persons at the outer ring left their places.
20.—Oliver went up resolutely to Spring, determined to make a change in his favour; but it was only to receive punishment; he was again down.
21.—When time was called, Oliver not coming up directly, Spring was told that it was all over, and had got hold of his coat to put it on, when Oliver again showed fight, and was terribly hit about the head and body, till he measured his length. (“Take him away; he can’t win it.”)
22 and 23.—These rounds were fought in the greatest confusion. The ring being flogged out, the time-keeper taking refuge in the rope ring, with two or three other swells, till the rounds were finished. Oliver was now quite exhausted, but positively refused to give in.
24, 25, and last.—All these rounds were fought in the greatest confusion, and when Spring had got Oliver at the ropes, and might have fibbed him severely so as to put an end to the battle, some person cut the ropes, which let Oliver down easy. Oliver contended every inch of ground, although so much distressed: at length he was so much punished that he could not leave the knee of his second when time was called. It was over in fifty-five minutes.
Remarks.—It is but common justice to Spring to assert, that he won this battle three times before it was over. It is true that he had no right to give a chance away, either against himself or his backers; but he plainly saw that the battle was his own; he fought without grumbling, and in acting so honourably, nay, generously, to a fine, high-couraged, game opponent, that Oliver should not have to say, “that he had not every opportunity to win, if he could.” What was more important, however, it prevented any thing like a wrangle being attempted. Spring, by his superior mode of fighting this day, raised himself highly in the estimation of the Fancy in general; in fact, the ring was much surprised that Oliver could do nothing with him. The prejudice which so long remained against Spring in respect to his not being a hard hitter, was removed in this battle. Oliver was most terribly punished; while Spring, on the contrary, had not the slightest mark on his face. The bravery of Oliver, and his exertions to win, were above all praise. Spring, in the style of a true Briton, “when the battle is ended, the heart of a lamb,” called to see Oliver, on the Friday after the fight, when they shook hands with each other in the same style of friendship as heretofore. Oliver then told Spring that he had entertained an opinion, before the fight, he was the stronger man; but that Spring was too long for him.
On Tom Cribb’s retirement from the arena, Spring considered himself champion; and soon after his conquest over Oliver, in order that it might not afterwards be brought against him that he had left the prize ring silently, he offered, by public advertisement, March 25, 1821, a challenge to all England for three months. This challenge not having been accepted, although he offered to fight Neat for £500 a-side, on August 19, nearly five months after the period stated, he entered into articles of agreement of a more tender kind, and made a match “for better or for worse.” We wish that our personal reminiscences did not unpleasantly remind us that, as regards the lady she was all “worse,” and never showed signs of “better.” He then commenced proprietor of the Weymouth Arms Tavern, in Weymouth Street, Portman Square. Spring’s opening dinner took place on Thursday, the 6th of December, 1821. The swells mustered numerously round Mr. Jackson, who presided upon this occasion; and 140 persons sat down to a prime dinner, served up, in excellent style, by Spring in person. The evening was dedicated to harmony and good-fellowship.
After the sport at Moulsey, on Wednesday, June 12th, 1822, the great match was made between Spring and Neat, subject to the following articles: