On toeing the scratch, there was a very perceptible difference in the appearance of the men. Broome overtopped his adversary a good two inches, and was proportionably longer in reach. His weight, we are told, did not exceed 12st. 5lbs., but of this he might well have spared half a stone. There was much loose flesh about his back, chest, and ribs, and although he was evidently in rude health, he had not been drawn fine enough to stand a long day’s work under such a burning sun as shone down upon the combatants during the fight. Broome, had he been permitted to take that pains with himself requisite to make him fit, would have been about as awkward a customer as could have been well conceived. As it was, however, he was so much harassed with law and other proceedings that he could not pay that attention to his training that he otherwise would have done. We think at 11st. 8lbs. his condition would be about perfection. His attitude, as he stood awaiting the attack, was admirable, and, had it not been for his fat, he would have looked all over a gladiator. Orme, whose colour is almost mahogany, is barely 5ft. 8in. in height, but is a thick-set, powerful fellow, with a frame of iron, long arms, a perfect bull-neck, and a pair of understandings fit for an Atlas. His weight was 11st. 8lbs., and of this scarcely 2lbs. was superfluous stuff. His attitude, when on the defensive, is not graceful, but he looks rough and ready, his dangerous right being across his mark, but always ready to be dashed out at the least opening on his adversary’s ribs. It was clear that there was a determination on both sides “to do or die,” and the spectators made up their minds that they were in for a good thing. Before the men entered the ring, the betting was 6 and 7 to 4 on Broome, but these odds were, previous to the fight, increased to 2 to 1, at which price a good deal of business was done. The colours having been duly tied to the stakes (blue and white spot for Broome, green, with small white rings thereon for Orme), the signal was given that all was in readiness, and “time” was called.
THE FIGHT.
Round 1.—Broome, after one or two feints, approached his man and attempted to draw him, but Orme was wary, and stepped back. They both then advanced and retreated several times, Broome repeatedly making attempts to kid his man within reach, but Orme was too wary. Broome scratched his ear, as endeavouring to rouse an idea what to do next, when Orme approached and lunged out heavily with his right out of distance; Broome then let fly both hands, but was neatly stopped. Orme now went up to his man and sent out both mauleys, but Broome jumped away. More sparring and fiddling, Orme several times stopping Broome’s left. At length Broome crept close again, lunged out one, two—his left was stopped, but his right just reached the left side of Orme’s nut; Orme returned very heavily with his right on the ribs, and after receiving a gentle tap on the forehead from Broome’s left, the latter closed, and both rolled over. This round lasted eight minutes, and at once showed to the spectators that Orme was much better on his legs and cleverer at stopping than the public had given him credit for.
2.—Again did each man make ineffectual feints out of distance. Broome at length let go his left, but Orme jumped cleverly away. Broome tried it again, but was stopped. “There’s luck in odd numbers,” however, for, in a third attempt, he got home heavily on Orme’s left peeper, and then on his mouth, and, on Orme rushing at him to make a return, Broome turned his back and ran round the ring. They quickly got together again, when, after one or two very slight exchanges, Orme got down.
3.—Broome, on nearing his man, led off with his left, and reached Orme’s kissing-trap. Sharp counter-hits followed, Orme reaching Broome’s left ogle with his right, and Broome getting heavily home on Orme’s right eye. A few weaving half-arm hits followed to a close, and both were down, Orme under.
4.—Broome feinted with his left, but it was no go. At length he succeeded in drawing Orme, who rattled at him, when Broome propped him heavily on the left peeper, drawing “first blood” from a cut on the brow. Some heavy exchanges followed, Orme delivering his right with terrific force on Broome’s ribs three times, and receiving heavy spanks in return on his right ogle and mouth, drawing more claret, and in the end, as Orme lunged out with his right, his head came forward, and Broome administered a terrific upper-cut in the mark, which doubled him up completely. Orme turned round, and gradually fell to the ground. It was now thought to be all over, but Orme, being in good condition, quickly rallied.
5.—Orme, on coming up, showed marks of Broome’s visitations on his right peeper, which was beginning to close, while the marks on Broome’s ribs proved that Orme’s right had done him good service in that quarter. Broome dodged his man, and on Orme poking his head forwards, instantly dashed in his left on the dexter optic. He tried to repeat it, but was stopped. Both now let fly out of distance, crept close, and Broome made his one, two, on the right eye and side of Orme’s canister. Orme returned with severity on the ribs, and then on Broome’s mouth. A pause ensued, during which Broome put down his hands. On lifting them again he approached Orme, planted one hand on the forehead, and the other on the left lug, and cleverly jumped away from Orme’s return. Broome made two attempts to repeat the dose, but Orme got quickly away. Orme now took a turn, swung out his right heavily on the ribs, and got away. Long sparring followed, during which the perspiration came from Broome’s every pore—the sun was insufferably hot for the time of year, and must have been distressing to both men. Caution was now the order of the day, until Broome got within distance, when he sent out his left and caught Orme on the right eye, but not heavily; this he repeated, when Orme again swung out his right, catching Broome heavily on the ribs, and jumped away. Some wild hitting out of distance succeeded, but, on their getting steadier, Broome let go his left spank in Orme’s mouth, and jumped away; again he crept close, made his one, two heavily on the left and right cheek, drawing claret from the latter. On Orme attempting to rush in, Broome again turned tail and ran across the ring. Orme followed him up, when Broome jumped quickly round and delivered his left heavily on the right cheek. Orme countered him heavily on the mazzard—received another spank on the right cheek, when Broome once more turned his back and retreated. Long sparring for wind now took place, after which there was some mutual stopping. Broome, at length caught Orme sharply on the mouth and right cheek, which brought them to a rally, in which Orme’s right was excessively busy on Broome’s ribs, while the returns of Broome did no execution. The repeated “thuds” on his ribs made Broome wince, and screw himself up, evidently with pain; he retired, blowing, while Orme (instead of following him up) stood in the middle of the ring until Broome recovered himself. The latter now popped in his left on the right cheek, but Orme countered him with the left heavily on the nozzle, drawing claret from a cut on the bridge of that organ, which, in Harry, as well as Johnny Broome, is slightly of the Roman order. Orme also caught Broome another spank on the ribs with his right, which led to heavy exchanges, in the course of which Broome reached Orme’s mouth and right cheek, while the latter caught Broome a tremendous hit on the left eyebrow, with his right, inflicting a deep, perpendicular cut, and drawing the ruby in profusion. Broome retired, and wiped away the fluid as it ran into his ogle, Orme again refusing to profit by opportunity, and go in while his man was confused. Broome soon recovered his presence of mind, went at his man, and, after some rattling exchanges, Orme was down, amidst the vociferous cheers of his friends, who considered that in this round he had infinitely the best of the hitting. It was a tremendous round, lasting sixteen minutes, during the greater part of which time the hitting was extremely severe.
6.—Both came up puffing, and their countenances considerably changed since the last round. After a good deal of sparring out of distance, Broome opened the ball, just reaching Orme’s nose with his left. A second attempt was frustrated by Orme jumping away and lunging out his right most viciously at the body; luckily, however, for the Champion, it did not reach him, or it would most assuredly have “found him at home.” Broome again crept up, caught Orme on the potato-trap with his left, but was prettily stopped in a second attempt. He tried once more, reached Orme’s left whisker-bed, but napped it heavily on the sore spot, his left eyebrow, from which a fresh tap was instantly opened. Broome retreated to wipe away the carmine from his peeper, and as Orme attempted to follow him up, he met him with a straight shooter on the mouth, which opened up another spring. This caused Orme to rush in wildly, when he caught it severely on the smeller, from which more claret trickled; Broome then closed, and, after a long struggle, threw and fell heavily on Orme.
7.—Broome led off with his left, but was neatly stopped; he tried again left and right, and was again parried, Orme returning a stinger with his right on the left eye. Orme now took the initiative, dashed in regardless of consequences, and was propped heavily on the left eye. This led to tremendous counter-hits with the left, each getting well home on his opponent’s smelling-bottle. A ding-dong rally followed, both getting it severely on the mouth and nose, left and right, and Orme punching Broome’s ribs with great severity. At length they closed, and rolled over together, Orme under.
8.—Both came up much the worse for wear. They sparred cautiously for wind, until Broome got close and sent out his left, which Orme parried, and missed his return. Broome led off twice in succession; the first time Orme jumped away, but the second Broome paid a visit to his right cheek. Orme then made his left on the chest, Broome returning with both hands on the side of his opponent’s nut and his right cheek-bone. Two more attempts were cleverly stopped by Orme, after which they rested a short time. Broome was first to recommence, caught Orme on the left cheek, and received another awkward reminder on the left eyebrow from Orme’s right sledge-hammer. Heavy exchanges followed, Orme getting well home on Broome’s mug and nose, and Broome on the right ogle and mouth. Broome now resorted to his old system of turning his back and running away, Orme after him. Broome at length turned round, let out his left, but was countered heavily on the nozzle and mouth. Heavy hits were now exchanged, left and right, and in the end Orme caught Broome full on the point of his conk, drawing the ruby in profusion, and knocking the Champion off his legs; “first knock-down” being awarded to Orme amidst vociferous cheering. This round, which, like the fifth, was extremely severe, lasted twelve minutes.