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Authentic Account of the Slashing Prize Fight between William Sparkes AND Richard Green.
For £70 to £100 A SIDE.
The match between Bill Sparkes and Dick Green, a Vandemonian, for £70 to £100 a-side, came off this morning, and in consequence of the length of time that has elapsed since the appearance of "professionals" in the P.R, a very numerous body of the right sort congregated to partake of the excitement of a slashing mill.
Throughout the whole of yesterday the sporting houses (that of Douglas' particularly,) were thronged with anxious enquirers, and the office having been given in the direction of Cook's River, without stating how far beyond, dragsmen, pradsmen, and toddlers began to move some hours before dawn this morning in consequence of the early hour (ten o'clock,) at which the men were appointed to enter the ring, being determined to keep themselves fresh by spending the intervening time under the hospitable roof of the worthy old sportsman, Gannon, where they booked themselves safe to find good entertainment for man and horse.
When we consider the disappointment which the patrons of the ring received a few weeks back, we were a little surprised to see such a fair sprinking of the fancy present.
Previous to the day of battle the betting was slightly in favour of Honi Held.
"Hurrah for the Road !" was the watchword at an early hour in the morning, and which was responded to hundreds of jolly dogs, who pressed forward to be in time at the convincing ground.
What added to the intense interest manifested upon the result of the fistic argument was, that both men had won laurels from many a hard fought "battle", Green in particular, having been victorious in every mill in which he has been engaged. Friends of each being equal in numbers and strong in confidence, on their respective "protogees" the betting was immense, and a large sum of money changed hands on the occasion.
Arrived upon the ground, a ring was formed without delay when the men "peeled" for work and flung their castors into the ring; both men appeared in first rate condition and spirits when stripped, and seemed equally "eager for the fray".
Green entered the ring first, attended by Huff and Bungarrabbee Jack; Sparkes soon followed, and was received with a tremendous round of applause.
Preliminaries being adjusted, the men attended by their seconds and bottle-holders, took up their position, and after shaking hands with great good humour, the fight began, of which the following are the details.
Round 1, Sparkes made play with his left and caught Green well on the snout, when Green made two sweeping hits at Held's ribs but which fell short of the mark; a dose, both down, Heki under.
2. Green led with his right mawley and put a feeler on Sparkes' wind organ, and for which he received one on the dice box, a close, when Green displayed considerable muscular power by throwing his opponent in a first rate style.
3. Sparkes put in one two on Dick's mug, but wich had only the effect of causing Dick's caster to pop through the opening in opening his head in a very amusing way. Green closed, both down, Heki under.
4. Sparkes hit Green on the old spot, when he made a spank at Sparkes' listener, but falling far from the mark, both fell down.
5. Sparkes delivered a smeller on Dick's upper lip, a return, when Sparkes went to prayers.
6. Exchange of compliments, Sparkes down.
7. Green hit Sparkes a good blow on the side of the head, when he went to grass.
8. When Sparkes came to the scratch he had lost the use of his right hand, so that 10 to was offered on Green. Green hit out and Sparkes went to grass.
9. Sparkes, game to the last, hit away with his left, giving a tap on Green's ivory, when, he received a blow on the breast which sent him to mother earth. Loud cries of "take him away" resounded around the ring.
From the above round to the 22nd nothing occurred worth noticing, Sparkes came his old dodge of droping down, so that Green would have a chance of hitting him foul. In the last Green got Sparkes on the ropes and leathered him well. Sparkes slipping down received a blow from Green which was declared foul by the Referee.
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