29.—King got twice on to Truckle’s head, whose returns were wild and ineffective. (Another appeal on Truckle’s style of getting down. “Fight on,” was the renewed order.)
30–40.—Of similar character. More than one appeal from King’s umpire, but disallowed. Truckle receiver-general, and apparently getting more and more “abroad” in each succeeding round.
41.—Truckle game as a pebble, but without a chance of turning the tide of battle; King hit Truckle so sharply on the ivories that he drew a fresh supply of Chateau Margaux, and Tommy fell as if shot.
42–47.—King strong and fresh; Truckle sinking under repeated doses of punishment; in the last-named round King hit poor Tommy clean off his feet with the right hand. “Take him away;” but Tommy refused to strike his colours, and came up for Round
48.—When the Young’un sent him to grass with a right-hander on the jaw. Still he would come again for Round
49, and last.—As Tommy stood at the scratch, in a somewhat puzzled condition, King dropped into him left and right, which brought Truckle forward. His head came against King’s cranium with some force, and Truckle immediately saluted his mother earth. George Matthison, who was one of Truckle’s backers, here stepped into the ring and, by consent of Tommy’s seconds, threw up the sponge, as his man had not the remotest chance of winning. King was accordingly hailed the winner of this hard-fought battle after a bustling contest of one hour and two minutes.
Remarks.—There was but one opinion on both sides, that, for novices, both men had acquitted themselves in a first-rate manner. King is undoubtedly the finest made young fellow it has been our lot to behold for many a long day. He is, in our opinion, far finer and more symmetrical in frame than Heenan, not being so clumsily legged as the Yankee Champion, and his weight (ordinarily 12st. 12lbs.) more proportionately distributed; and we cannot help thinking, if ever they should come together (and it is reported that Heenan challenges the belt) that our “novice” is just the sort of man to give a good account in a passage of arms with that redoubtable and over-boasted gentleman. King does not use his left in leading off, as more practised pugilists do, but that is a fault he has full time to amend, and as his pluck, endurance and presence of mind, seconded by undebauched wind and a fine constitution, were fully demonstrated in this trial, we do not know where to look for his master. Throughout the battle the Young’un behaved in the most manly manner, refusing to fall on his antagonist on several occasions, when he had clearly the right to do so, and resisting the temptation to deliver a blow, though sorely provoked by his opponent’s shifty getting down. Truckle has little pretensions to science; but is a rough and ready fighter. It must be admitted that, from the first round to the last, he tried his utmost to get a turn in his favour, but was overmatched and outfought at all points. His friends must have been satisfied that he only succumbed to a superior man in all respects, and then only when nature could do no more. A subscription for the beaten man was collected on the spot by the winner, which was added to at the giving up of the stakes. King exhibited on the following Monday night, at the Rotunda, Blackfriars Road, at Tom Paddock’s benefit (after the latter’s defeat by Sam Hurst), showing but trifling marks of his recent encounter.
Early in 1861, there was much tall talk of a match with Heenan, whose intention of returning to England and claiming the championship from Sam Hurst, the holder of the new belt, was loudly boasted, but all ended, as it had begun, in mere talk.
The tough and gallant Harry Poulson, of Nottingham, was proposed as a competitor, and articles were signed in February, to fight for £100 a side, May 23rd being fixed for the encounter, and £12 a side posted; but the backers of the veteran Harry took second thoughts, and at the second deposit (of £20) failed to put in an appearance, and King pocketed the forfeit.
After the defeat of Sam Hurst by Jem Mace, King lost no time in challenging the new champion, for the “regulation stake” of £200 and the belt, which trophy had been duly handed over by Hurst to the stakeholder. A match with Young Broome, however, intervened, and came off in October, the championship battle being fixed so far forward as January 31, 1862.