Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-28
;BY CABLE TO THE DISPATCH ]

iBY CABLE TO THE DIsPArcH.1
LONDON, June N.-[Copyright ].-Th,
fight for the bantam championship of tn,
world and purse of $500 between Georg'
Dixon, (colored), of Boston, and Nun,
Wallace, of London, respectively bantam
champions of America and England, at tn,
Pelican Club tonight, was one OF the bes
matches of the class ever witnessed in En-
gland, and resulted in victory for tn
American at the end of 18 hotly contested
rounds
The fight was witnessed by one of the bes
gatherings that ever attended a mill, in
cluding lords, commons, sovereigns ant
leading members Of the sporting fraternity
Of Britain. Sir John Ashley. the Marquis
of Queensberry, Lord Lonsdale and Lore
Esmie Gordon occupied seats close to tht
ropes, and many other titled gentlemen o
long pedigree were among the spectators
while America was represented in the per
sons Of Lieutenant Commander Emory
Thomas Burnside, William T. King, Jr., T.
Seligman, Edwin Fox, young Mr.. Onataira
Valerian Gribayedof, Philip Shortiss and
Alfred Cammeyer. Colonel North, Charles
Overton and Willie Wilde, brother OF the
famous Oscar, were also among the distin
gulshed persons present.
A FAIR AUDIENCE.
No two men ever fought in the presence
of fairer crowd of spectators. In spite OF
the fact that Wallace was an old Pelican
fayorite, the little colored American was
received with almost as much applause as
the English champion, and when Wallace
resorted to questionable methods he was
hssed and condemned universally. The
club gymnasium was packed to its utmost
capacity, more than thousand men being
present, while a couple of hundred fought
for position on the stairs.
As these stairs were only available at a
point OF view for the ring for about two
thirds of the distance, and as the men on the
lowest eligible stair, who held back those
above, got excited about every other round
and lost their grip on the balsterade, the
proceedings were pleasantly varied every
few moments by an avalance OF lords and
gentlemen tumbling head over heels to the
verge of the ring to an accompaniment of
dust and profanity.
The referee was Vie, the timekeeper
Wakefield, and the judges were Bettinson
and King, all four sportsmen of the highest
reputation. Dixon was seconded by
O'Rourke and McGhow, his trainers, and
Wallace by two well-known English
trainers, Alf Greenfield and Dick Roberts
Both men came into the ring at exact
weight, ia pounds, and both were in the
pink of condition. Dixon's "cafe au lait"
skin shons as ii he had been vanished, and
he was as 1.-THE and supple as cat. Wal
lace looked heavier than the little negro.
The Englishman's legs were of better shape,
and his shoulders and neck we're bigger.
STRONG IN THE ARMS.
Dixon's legs were spider-like in the e1-
treme, and his neck was lean, bat he had
the weight In his chest and arms, where it
proved very useful. He wore stockings
and slippers. but aside from these was en-
tirely naked save for a cloth about his
loins. Wallace wore blue tights and
porous plaster half way up
the middle of his back. The betting was 5
to on Wallace when the fight began. 1t
was even after the fifth round. when Lord
Lewis, "The King of the Money Lenders"
and after the tenth round bets were made as
high as 2 to on the American.
Dixon smiled good deal during the first
five or six rounds whenever Wallace struck
him. The EnglIshman obviously believed
at first that he was going to have things all
his own way, and he several times prac-
ticed the trick of dodging under Dixon's
arm and grinning, pumpkin like, at the
spectators. The grin faded later, and has
not since been renewed, and Dixon forgot to
smile when he got warmed up to the con-
test. One of Wallace,s best points has al
ways been his ability to strike blow and
get away before his opponent could reach
him. Dixon got on to the Englishman's
curves early in the game, however, and
cured Wallace of attempting that feat too
often by jumping into him with the quick
ness of steel spring and shifting him with
sinful enthusiasm while the other believed
himself out of reach.
THE FIRST ROUND.
In the first round the men came together
and spared cautiously for several seconds.
When Dixon struck the first blow, landing
lightly on Wallace's cheek, Wallace count
cred, landing heavily OIL Dixon's stomach,
turning and running half way round the
ring and ducking to avoid the blows
that the negro, aimed at his head.
The round ended, however, with Dixon get
ting in heavily on the others face and neck.
In the second round Dixon started in lit
tie too confident and received several sting
ing body blows which resounded through hout
the room The round ended with in-fight-
ing, in which neither got much advantage of
the other.
In the third round both men rushed at
each other like pair of >belligerent rams.
and came together half a dozen times with a
crash, raining heavy blows upon each
,ther's faces and necks, though neither
seemed to mind it much. Dixon
rot rather the best of it, however.
md was cheered at the end of the round, as
The Pelicans realized that game contest
was forthcoming. The fourth round was
much like the previous one. Dixon |
.ather forced the fighting, and
he result was that Wallace by |
skillful undercut brought him to |
lis knees. He was up in a fraction of a |
econd, however, and knocked Wallace into |
lis corner, following one blow up with an
'ther so vigorously that the Englishman |
eemed glad when time was called.
BOTH WERE GAME.
In the fifth round both we're as game as |
ver and flew at each other like bantam
ocks. 1t was give and take all over the
ing, and Just as time was called Wallace
.ot in a good one ON the negro's face
Dixon led off In the sixth round with a
errific blow on Wallace's left eye, and that
rgan began to close. The negro followed
I'D the advantage thus obtained, and Wal
ace was compelled to run around the ring
everal times to avoid punishment.
In the seventh round the spectators began
o perceive that Dixon was the better man.
His auickness was marvellous and the force
II his blows was undated, while Wallace
lready seemed tired and frequently spared
or wind He rallied at the last OF the
ound, however, and gave Dixon blow on
he point of the chin that with much
nore force would have knocked him down.
The American did not seem to mind it,