Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-07-12
The ChampIonshIDg Of EngIaud.--FIght
Between Hurst and Mace.
Ttom De London Times, JAY -.

/ The ChampIOnshIDg Of EngIRnd.-.FIght
Between Hurst and Mace.
From The London Tines, July
II IS perhaps no information even for those least
acquainted with the dirty Of the prize ring
be told that the champions belt for the possession
! Of which Heenan and Sayers struggled with such
cruel obstinacy was eventually awarded to neither
The trophy was LETT open TO pubic competition,
though the belt happens 10 be Of those peeu-
liar gifts of fortune which not to be had for the
asking, and as its possession entails some personal
responsibility in the way of having to fight all
corners. no matter how many or big. the number
of candidates for the dangerous honor was, on the
whole, decidedly limited. The FIRST claimants were
| Hurst and Paddock.
| Hurst is the champion wrestler of Lancashire. a
! man of gigantic frame and almost superhuman
strength, but perhaps the most uuSklul boxer that
| ever entered the prize ring. In his contest with
Paddock he was dreadfplly punished. but almost by
accident cOutrived at the close Of the fight to hit his
adversary blow and one blow from such aG0iIah
/ was quite sufficient for Paddock was all but Iei
by il Hurst therefore into full possession Of
the turbulent hOn0rs Of the belt, to which boxer
named Mace at once laid ca
/ Mace is very small ma !. though possessed of
wonderful strength and activity, almost a harder
| hitter thSn SayeFs himself, and reputed to be the
most scientific pugilist alive. let even with these
advantages. II seemed almost mOnstrous to suppose
| that he could contend for instant with asy
I ering in strength and size and weight az Hurst.
| Nevertheless. match was made for the champion
ship, and yesterday It fought 10 an issue an
island in the Midway, and resulted in Mace punish
ing his gigantic antagonist fesrfuly that he may
literally be said to hsve almost killed hun, without
I receiving single blow in return.
The contrast between the two men as they enter
I ed the ring was even more stGrtiingy disprOpOr
/ tioaate than that between Heenan and SayeFs.
Hurst stood nearly SIX feet three inches in height
and weighed nearly sixteen stone while his giEant-
| ie. swGrthy cbest aud limbs, in which the muscles
stood out in great folds and knots like bosses Of
bronze. made his fg3rs leok even larger and more
formidable # possible than it was in seSi;ty. In
looking at his massive proportions, and the evidences
{ Of tremendous strength as the theIs and siusEs
rolled with every movement, one felt kind OF fas-
cinsCC terror, which changed to almost sicseniEg
apprehension Tor the fate Of the man who had dared
such . Colossus to 4 combat.
Among ordinary men Mace would have seauled
terrible g0srfOF any 70 cope with, but dIsrisd
and almost OycrshsdOHsi by the giant he had Chal
lelgsd lis venture seemed little short Cf sheer mad
ness. HIS height Il barely over five fee: eight inch
es his weight only ten stone and half; yet, be
Dre7Er13 E1-s1if Tor tl1 CC1,csS Yesterday. thaTe
Vas 81 easy sir q nOnchalsaCe about Kim whicd,
coupled with his COMPACT far frame, AMI ii.o G1a
active figure On yEi-.. t. z-lcl bat -.r al ne.
developed muscles showed O1s N startling reliSI,
made his venture appear less desperate tian IL was
20 those acquainted with Lis skill and strength.
Hurst 70 his other advantages. added thar Of win
ming the choice Of corners Epd Of COurs5 took .tct
with bic back 70 the sun. leaving its fierce rays tall
10 the face Of his antagonist. When 70 last sitter
shaking hands the stood alone n the centre Of
she ring If seemed almost Ike ConIIEing 81 a mUr-
der 90 permit contest between two men 50 Gispro
pOrtionei in size, height, strength aud weight Yet
Mace, IS he stood up almost in the shadow of bis
great a.saiant, seemed confident, though OF c0urse
very cautious.
Lightyelace moved 10 and out faintiug ard smil-
Ing, with noiselsss bou1d, like cat, he sprans
Il
seemed only required 20 move 20 crush him. Grad
ualIv they drew nearer and nearer, the giant wait
irg Tor his chance, which the other now and then
appeared to give hin, though in reality nc venured
nothing.
Al l.s. Mace carefully vent1red in, snd struck
his opponent slightly three four time in the face
They we're only little blows, but enough to show
him that he could reach the slow, nTieldly boxer
when ne chose and get cut Of sl danger OF return
with perfect certainty.
Apparently satisfied with this kn wledge, Mace
began the hight with terrific blow. which CON-
pletely closed Hussts eye, and seemed to make his
bulky frame tremble TO his very feet
Before the first round. which lasted n, q " w.lve
minutes was ever. Hurst was haE smU,h red in
his own blood and his face so gashed that as far
as appearance went. Mace might have been assault
Ing him with razor. Still, as It was known that
Hurst had bat 10 give one blow to win the day. no
one seemed inclined 70 back Mace, who might at |
any moment get stroke that would snulhilate him
Yet the tremendous blow that seemed impending
never came.
HursI knew evidently nothing Of boxing, and his
antagonist therefore, merely drew aside with the
most perfact SANG TrOid from the slow, awkward |
movements Of the pOnderous arms, delivering his
own strokes full the head and face Of the giant
with q force and rapidity that was terrible. In
vain ike blindCyclops, Hurst threw his arms
abroad and stIoVe to grasp to strike to touch
his 1.-THE, wIry fOe-in vain ne strCYe 10 hem him
into corner.
Mace would simply iuhict his tremendous blows
full on the smashed face of his opponent. pass IN
der his arm and be gone almost before the eye could
follow his movements
poured over his huge figure such streams that Mace
himself was covered with it, and the clothes of
Hursts two seconds almost saturated. Nothing
showed the enormous strength Of the man more
than that he could sustain this fearful punishment
and loss Of blood with apparently little dimnutOn
of his colossal power.
He still pursued Mace with unabated determine
tioD hut never once even touched him, while, on
the other hand, Maces blows sounded loud all over
the RIG. till from a sharp, crashing smash they
gradually deadened down 10 splashIng sound ike
strikiug raw meat, that was sickenng TO hear
Nothing stopped the cOpous streams Of blood that
flowed frou all parts OF Hursts face, aud the whole
of this one-sdsd contest became disgusting and hor
rlble beyond all description.
After there had been ten rounds, and the fight had
lasted some three quarters Of an hour, Hurst's
opds and b eksrs saw that his chance was hope /
les and urgently stFOye 70 make hsm discontinue.
Bat though nav utterly blind, his features smashed
ont of al recognition almost as human being Rnd
rceIng from his fearful iOss OF blood, the gUry /
dsfcured giant sfiM totteTe9 from his corner, Only
To be sent staggering back by antagonist that he
seeuged capable of snnihalarpg Mace now no lon /
ger fought cautiously, but hit when and where he l
pleased and even cesed with tAe great wrestler and
threw hin heavily.
It was all over. Hercules himself would have /
succunfed to such fearful blows. and the alarming
bemorYhaee which followed them, and which nov /
began to soak all the grass Of the ring. Brettle,
Hursts chief hacker at last rushed into tho arena
snd insisted OF his fighting no nOFe but The main
ed giant seemed incapable OF understanding his de-
feat from such little man, and CROPPED and staggsr-
ed out again. Blind and fsinting = only required 1
one or two more blows 10 finish the affair; bat the
inHc'irn Of those the helpless head OF FISH was
LUrlib a. shocking , -ycr1 III 5"s"-i-ti'1
His seconds and hackers gave in fos him without
his knowledge. and kept Hurst in ais corner til he
gradually became giuOsJ iHssrslois aSa q. the res
torative arts Of the ring were exhausted an efforts
to keep him from fainting which, in the absence OF
~, fast ailur naiulk 1