In the next three rounds there were some heavy exchanges left and right, but Brassey pursued his falling tactics.
34.—Tremendous counter-hitting with the right, and equally heavy exchanges with the left. Both down on their knees, from the stunning severity of the deliveries. (Caunt’s beauty improving. A splendid likeness of the “Saracen’s Head” without his wig.)
35.—Again did Caunt nail his man on the nose with his left, and the claret came forth freely.
From this to the 53rd round there were some heavy exchanges left and right. To all appearance, the punishment was most severe on Caunt’s face, whose left cheek was cut, as well as his right, but the heavy deliveries on the left side of Brassey’s head, as well as his ribs, had evidently weakened him, although he still came up as game as a pebble. In his frequent falls, Caunt occasionally could not avoid falling on him, and his weight was no trifling addition to his other punishment. It is but just to state, however, that Caunt fought in a fair and manly style, and avoided everything like unfair advantage.
In the 55th round the ground became so muddy that the men, from fighting in the centre of the ring, could scarcely keep their legs, and Brassey went down without a blow. This was claimed, but rejected by the referee, who cautioned him, however, against giving such another chance away.
56.—Caunt planted his left heavily on Brassey’s winker, but Brassey, in return, hit him on the jaw with his right, and making up his mind for further mischief, repeated the blow with terrific effect a little below the same spot, Caunt countering at the same moment, and with the same hand. The collision was dreadful—both fell in opposite directions—Caunt as if shot by a twenty-four pounder, end Brassey all abroad.
Here was a decided change; Caunt was evidently unconscious, and was with difficulty held on his second’s knee. His head rolled like a turtle in convulsions. Curtis, however, steadied his tremulous pimple, administered a slight dash of water, and on “time” being called he was enabled to go to the scratch, but with such groggy indications that we doubt whether he knew if he was on his head or his heels.
57.—Brassey now endeavoured to improve his advantage, but instead of steadily waiting to give his man the coup de grace, he rushed in, and bored Caunt through the ropes, and he fell on his back, while the force of Brassey’s fall on him was stayed by his own chin being caught by the upper rope, on which he hung for a moment.
58.—Caunt recovered a little, but Brassey again rushed in, hitting left and right, and in the struggle both down, Brassey uppermost.
59.—Caunt steadied himself, and went in to fight. Some heavy exchanges followed, and Brassey went down, but Caunt was far from firm on his pins. It was now seen that Caunt’s right hand, from its repeated visits to Brassey’s head and ribs, was much swollen; his left, too, showed the effects of repeated contact with the physog. of his antagonist. This, in the following rounds, led to a good deal of contention, on the ground that Caunt had unfair substances in his hand; but he showed it was only paper, and threw it away, although entitled to the use of any soft material to steady his grasp.