Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 2 (of 3) / Containing Lives of the Most Celebrated Pugilists; Full Reports of Their Battles from Contemporary Newspapers, With Authentic Portraits, Personal Anecdotes, and Sketches of the Principal Patrons of the Prize Ring, Forming a Complete History of the Ring from Fig and Broughton, 1719-1740, to the Last Championship Battle Between King and Heenan, in December 1863

by Henry Downes Miles

24.—Gybletts applied to the brandy bottle. He went up, sparred a little, tried at the body, missed, and was thrown.

25, 26, 27.—Gybletts fighting an up-hill game, but contending manfully, hit for hit. In the 26th round Gaynor caught his man on the nose, cutting the cartilage, the wound bleeding profusely. In the last round both were down.

28, 29.—Gaynor first to fight. Gybletts down.

30.—Gybletts got home sharply with his left in Gaynor’s left eye. Gaynor cautious. At length he let fly, but Gybletts ducked his head, thus saving it from a smasher. He then caught Gaynor heavily on the mouth, and drew the claret from that organ as well as the nose. Gaynor returned, but slipped down on his knees.

31.—One hour and five minutes had passed. Charley succeeded in planting a “snorter,” but Gaynor gave him a quid pro quo. Gybletts once again visited his adversary’s masticators, when Gaynor went in hand over hand, drove him to the ropes, hit up, and threw him.

32.—Gaynor took the lead in fighting. Charley drew back, putting in slightly on the nose. He got it in return on the mouth, and went down, Gaynor also falling back on the ropes, but quickly recovering his perpendicular.

33.—Gybletts came up cheerful, and after a few feints and parries went in for close quarters. After a stiff struggle Gybletts was thrown completely over the ropes out of the ring; Gaynor went over the ropes with him, with his heels in the air and his head on his man’s body.

34.—Gybletts, though piping, seemed strong on his legs. He stood well to his man, and it was hit for hit with no decided advantage, till, in the close, both were on the grass.

35.—Gaynor went in, and Charley jobbed him on the nose. Tom shook his head, and went at Gybletts with the right. Exchanges, a rally, and a heavy cross-counter; both men were on the ropes. Gaynor in an awkward position, when he got down. (Cheering for Gybletts.)

36.—One hour and a quarter had elapsed, and the odds were still on Gybletts, notwithstanding Gaynor’s out-fighting and wrestling were superior. Tom, first to fight, got in a mugger, and received a rib-roaster in return. Merry milling for a turn. In the close Gaynor got the fall.