The other two didn’t say anything.
Franks was coming in fast again; Sankey backed against the ropes, smothering most of what Franks was handing out to him. Sankey sent over a tremendous right that caught Franks as he was coming in. It caught him too high up to hurt him, but it stopped him, and Sankey got off the ropes and danced away. Franks bored in and they both exchanged short jabs to the head and body. The gong went just as Sankey was getting going. It was Franks’ round all right.
The crowd buzzed and buzzed all round them. Gurney sat back, conscious of the sweat that was running down his back. He said to Dillon, “You said the fifth, didn’t you?”
Dillon said, “Don’t get into a spin. It’s in the bag. That punk’s got to put up a show.”
Sankey lay back in his corner, his face sullen.
Hank flapped a towel over him, telling him to take it easy.
The gong went for the second round.
It was Franks who came out fast this time. He was almost into Sankey’s corner before Sankey got his hands up. The crowd roared at them. Sankey’s left jumped into Franks’ face, jerking his head back, but he was coming in with such steam that it didn’t stop him. He banged Sankey into his corner, bringing both hands hard into his body. You could hear those two blows out in the street.
Sankey jerked up with both of them, his mouth going slack. A wild look came into his eyes, but he kept his hands up. Gurney screamed at him, “Push him off! Get away from him!”
Franks brought over a round-house swing. It landed on Sankey’s head. Sankey went down on his knee. Franks was keeping cool. He immediately walked away to a neutral corner, letting the referee start a count. The hall shook with the noise. People stood up on their chairs, yelling themselves hoarse.