21–25.—The last round was the best contested during the battle; the Irishman, though nearly blind, administered some heavy hits, and finally knocked Burn down.
26.—It was anybody’s battle at this period. Burn was getting extremely weak, and O’Neal in such a dizzy state that he threw most of his blows away. The fighting of Burn was highly praised; he planted three or four nobbers on the old places; but the Yorkshire Youth was hit down.
27–30.—O’Neal was nearly in the dark, and Burn nobbed him as he thought proper; in fact, the Irishman was completely at the mercy of the fists of his opponent. O’Neal went down in a state of stupor, and Langan could scarcely get him up. (“Take the game fellow away!”)
31.—O’Neal was quite abroad—he could not see his opponent, and, in making a hit at the air, stumbled forward on the ground.
32, and last.—On time being called, O’Neal left his second’s knee, and turned away from the scratch. He was completely blind. Over in fifty minutes. Langan gave in for him.
Remarks.—Great credit is due to young Burn, not only for the pluck he manifested throughout the battle, but the science he displayed, and the mode he persevered in to win the battle. We never saw better judgment displayed upon any occasion. It may be urged, we are well aware, that he had nothing to fight against but weight: yet, if that weight had been brought up to him on setting to every round, there was a great probability that that weight would have so reduced his exertions as to have prevented young Jem from proving the conqueror. He ought not to be overmatched again. O’Neal did all that a brave man could do. He proved himself an excellent taker, and there is some merit even in that quality belonging to a man who enters the P. R. We have seen several fine fighters who do not possess the taking part of milling, but who have been most liberal in giving handfuls of punishment to their opponents; but to give and not receive is one of the secrets of prize-fighting. We never saw a man more interested in the success of another, or exert himself more, than Langan on the part of O’Neal; but O’Neal is not of the stuff of which clever pugilists are made.
Sir Bellingham Graham, who viewed the contest, was so pleased with the exertions and courage of Jem Burn that he made the young pugilist a present of five sovereigns.
Jem was matched by Uncle Ben against Martin (the well-known “Master of the Rolls”) for £300 a-side. This match was to have been decided on Thursday, October 26th, 1824, and was looked for with anxiety, as the goodness and skill of Martin were well established.
On the day appointed the cavalcade had reached Staines, when part of the secret was let out, that “it would be no fight between Martin and Jem Burn.” Upwards of an hour having elapsed in consultation, the mob started off to Laleham, to take a peep at the ring. It was ascertained at Laleham that Martin would not show; but in the midst of the doubts a magistrate appeared. Luckily for the backers of the Master of the Rolls, this circumstance saved their blunt, otherwise the stakes must have been forfeited to Jem Burn. Something wrong evidently had been intended; but that wrong could not be performed so as to deceive the amateurs of pugilism, and therefore the fight did not take place. Jem Burn threw his hat into the ring, declared he meant to fight a fair battle, and demanded the battle-money. This, however, was contrary to agreement, as the magistrate remained, and declared he would not allow a breach of the peace.
Jem was backed against Aby Belasco, to fight on the 18th of November, 1824, but the stakes were drawn by the consent of both parties. This was in consequence of a meeting at which Ned Neale offered himself to “My Uncle’s” notice, who thought this a better match. Articles were drawn and signed for Jem to do battle with Neale for £100 a-side; to come off on Tuesday, December 19th, 1824, on Moulsey Hurst. After an obstinate contest of thirty-one rounds, occupying one hour and thirty-eight minutes, Jem was defeated, as related in our last chapter.