3.—Neale took the lead in this round in gay style; he gave a facer so hard and sharp that Bob’s pimple shook again; indeed, he was upon the stagger from its severity. Ned repeated the dose twice with success; and over Bob’s left eye appeared a cut. Neale ran in to do execution, but Bob put up his left hand, and bobbed his head away to avoid punishment. In the struggle both down, Neale undermost. (A shout for Baldwin.)
4.—This was a gallant round. Baldwin planted a severe hit on the middle of the Streatham lad’s face; the claret ran down in streams. Counter-hits and good work. Neale was thrown.
5.—Bob was now advised to fight first, but he did not take the hint. Caution again the order of the day. (Here Cribb mimicked the attitudes of Harry Holt, who was eloquently advising his man.) Bob retreated, and Neale hit him on the back as he was going down.
6.—Nothing; of no use to either side.
7, 8.—Not effective; Bob was a difficult man to be got at. Both down.
9–12.—Bob napped a rum one on his body which made him twist. In the eleventh cries of “foul” occurred; Neale was in the act of hitting as his opponent was going down. It was not intentional. Bob went down in a close at the last round covered with claret.
13.—The superiority of Neale was evident; he nobbed Bob successfully; and at the ropes the White-nobbed one went down exhausted.
14.—The left peeper of the Streathamite was considerably damaged; and his friends were alarmed lest it should soon be dark. Neale obtained a point towards victory in this round; he threw Baldwin heavily, and fell upon him.
15.—This was a hotly contested round, and both men did their best. Bob proved himself a much better man than Neale had anticipated; giving and taking were prominent, but the round finished in favour of Neale, who threw Bob on his head.
16.—A good rally, but Bob appeared to be at a loss in sharp attacks; out-fighting should have been his game. The faces of the combatants exhibited severe punishment. Both down. Serious faces all round the ring and great doubts who had the best of it. The truth was, at this period of the fight, it was almost anybody’s battle, though Neale hit swiftest and straightest.