Boxiana; Or, Sketches of Ancient and Modern Pugilism Book

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Smallwood, stood high upon the list as bottom pugilists. The former stood up to Broughton manfully; and it was observed of Smallwood, that he was thorough game, with judgement equal to any, and superior to most. He was capable of standing against any man, if he had but possessed weight. Small- Wood fought with Dimmock, when he was in his infancy of boxing, and but a mere strippling. The latter was a man of great strength and not destitute of skill, and he was near an hour before he gained the victory over Smallwood. It was the opinion of Capt. GodFrey, " that if he was to chuse a boxer for his money, and could but purchase him strength equal to his resolution, Smallwood should be the man." In the course of a few months after the above period, Smallwood proved himself fully entitled to the high opinion which had been held of him respecting his science and bottom, inadesperate conflict with oneDick Harris, a proper piece of hardihood. It was a most obstinate battle indeed, continuing above an hour, and was considered as game a one as had been witnessed for many years. Harris knowing that he had got a trump to deal with, showed out with all the courage of a hero; and Smallwood, to recover from his former defeat with Dimmock, endeavoured to place himself on an eminence with the first-rate pugilists of the day, by thescienceand intrepidity which hedisplayed: the fight was primely contested, and victory, for a long time, appeared doubtful?but Dick, not being so thoroughly acquainted with the advantages of the art to relieve himself when distressed for wind, was reluctantly compelled to acknowledge the suporiority of Smallwood.Hrouohton, who witnessed the fight, was nuch pleased with the set-to of Smallwoou, and his method nil through the contest; and chipping him upon the back, excla...Read More