The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1861-06-25 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

THE CHAMPIONSHIP. TrEADAY, June 18.—The fight for the championship having been fixed to take place this morning, the coinhetants and their friends betook themselves to the country at an early hour. The claimants for the riaession of the championship were Sam Hurst, the Staleybridge Infant," and Jew Mace, of Norwich. The first-named threw down • challenge to the winner of the fight between Heenan and Tom Sayers, but it was not accepted by either of those notabilities, for reasons which must be patent to those even who neither take any interest in, nor have any knowledge of. such contests. Another member of trim prize ring, Tom Paddock, took up the challenge iint forth by Hunt, but suffered defeat. So much difficulty is now experienced to "bring off a mill," as it is tulinicaUy called, that • large number of persona were intentionally "put off the smut," and only the expressly initiated got to the North Kent Railway station, at London-bridge, at 6 o'clock this morning, from whence they were conveyed somewhereilown the line, but as the expedition was under sealed orders, and the destination was de. pendant upon the presence of, and the celerity of 1 the police, the actual place where the fight would wino off WAS not known at the time the parties left the metropolis. Both the combatants were present, having been in safe care somewhere in town during the night. It was understood that the train would go on to "a place" where a steamer or other boat would be in waiting to convey all concerned where it might be thought most advisable. The fight came off on Tuesday in an island in the Medway. The contrast between the two men as they entered the ring was even more startlingly dispropor. tionato than that between Heenan and Sayers. Hurst stood nearly six feet three inches in height, and weighed 16 stone, while his gigantic swarthy chest and limbs, in which the muscles stood out in great folds and knots like bosses of bronze, made his figure look even larger and more formidable, if possible, than it was in reality. Among ordinary men Mace would have seemed a terrible antagonist for any to *qv with, but, dwarfed and almost overshadowed by the giant he hail challenged, his venture imemed little short of sheer madness. His height is barely over Mt. Sin., his weight only ten atone and a half. When at last, after shaking hands, the men stood alone in the centre of the ring, it PACOICII IdnioNt like conniving at murder to permit a contest between two men n diSPrOPOrtiOnell iii cisc, height, strength, and weight. Yet Mace, as he stood up almost in the shadow of his great assailant, seemed confident, though, of course, very cautious. Before the first mound, which hulled nearly 12 minutes, was over, Hurst was half smothered in his own blood, and his face so gashed that, ail let as appearances went HMSO might have been assaulting him with a razor. Still, as it was known Hurst lied to give only one blow t. win the day, no one seeined inclined to back Max, who might at any moment get a stroke that would annihilate him. Vet the tremendous blow that meemed always impending weer came. Hurst evidently knew nothing of boxing, and his Antagonist therefore merely drew /Wide with the miet perfect ',lvey froid from the slow, awkward, movements of the posidenius arms delivering him own strokes full on the head and face, of,the giant with a force and rapidity that was terrible. After there had been ten rounde, and the fight hail lasted some threes4uarters of an how, Blunt's seconds and backers saw that his chance Was hopeless and urgently strove to make him discontinue. But, though now utterly blind, hie features mashed out of all recognition almost as • human being, and reeling from his fearful lose of blood, the gory disfigured giant still tottered from his corner, only to be gent tottering beck by an antagonist that lie seemed capable of aneihilating. Mace now no longer fought cautiously, but hit when and where he pleeseil, and even closed with the