8.—Paddock came up crimson as the “Red Lion,” at Brentford, but he led off without delay, and they were soon at infighting; Paddock got on his knees in the scrimmage, and Poulson dealt him a “hot one” on his snuff-box. A claim of “foul” from Paddock’s friends, but disallowed. Poulson’s blow could not be withheld, as it was delivered simultaneously with Paddock’s knees reaching the ground.
9.—Paddock, twice foiled in leading off, went in furiously, reaching Harry’s nose, and removing the bark, but getting a Roland for his Oliver in a smasher on his own olfactory organ that sadly spoilt its symmetry. Hitting right and left, and no stopping on either side, until Paddock went down in the exchanges.
10.—Both were distilling the crimson from their left eyes; Paddock led off with the left, and got again heavily countered in the face. Poulson slipped and dropped on one knee; Paddock might have hit him, but he withheld his hand, and walked to his corner amidst applause.
11.—Poulson dashed in, delivering his right heavily on the side of Tom’s nut, but the blow seemed open-handed. A merry rally ensued, in which some sharp, half-arm hits were exchanged, Paddock receiving some sharp thumps in the ribs, and retaliating on Poulson’s knowledge-box. Both down in the close.
12.—Paddock feinted, and then let go his left, a cross hit on Poulson’s cheek; he got away, and repeated the dose on Harry’s smeller. Poulson seemed stung at these visitations, rushed in, and after some busy half-arm work Paddock was down.
13 to 20.—Busy rounds, but short, and very similar in character, Paddock opening the ball and getting on by his superior length, but Poulson winding up the rounds by fear-nought hitting, and Paddock ending them by being first to grass.
21.—Paddock still first, got in his left on Poulson’s bread basket, and his right on the side of the head; the latter was retaliated by a severe body-blow, and Paddock broke away. Paddock nailed Poulson on the nose, and on the left brow, still Poulson pegged away, but was first down from a wild hit of Tom’s on the side of his head.
22.—Poulson tried to open the ball, but his left was stopped, and then his right, and Tom got home an ugly one on Harry’s left eye, which showed symptoms of the early closing movement. Poulson went in, but Tom planted an upper-cut on the damaged ogle, and Poulson slipped down.
23.—Paddock, on time being called, rose and walked rapidly across towards Poulson’s corner. The latter had hardly time to turn round from his seconds, when Tom let fly at his forehead. Poulson let go both hands without aim; Tom missed a vicious hit with his left, and Poulson slipped down in a scramble.
24.—Poulson was quickly up at the call of time, determined not to be stolen a march on; he opened the pleadings by a declaration with the right on Tom’s ribs, but got it on the mouth, and in a second attempt was stopped neatly; he, however, persevered, and some ding-dong exchanges ended by Poulson slipping down.