Year: 1861

1t is, perhaps, no information even for
those least acquainted with the dirty arena
of the prize ring to be told that the cham
pion's belt, for the possession of which
Heenan and Sayers struggled with such
cruel obstinacy, was eventually awarded
to neither. The trophy was left epen to
public competition, though, as the belt
happens to be one of those peculiar gifts
of fortune which are not to be had for the
asking, and as its possession entails some
personal responsibility, in the way of hav-
ing to fight all corners, no matter how many
or big, the number of candidates for the
dangerous honor was, on the whole, deci-
dedly limited. The first claimants were
Hurst aud Paddock. Hurst is the cham
| pion wrestler of Lanchire, man of gigan-
| tic frame and almost superhuman strength,
but perhaps the most unskillful boxer that
ever entered the prize ring. In his con-
test with Paddock be was dreadfully pun
ished, but almost by accident contrived at
the close of the fight to hit his adversary
one blow, and one blow from such Goliah
was sufficient. for Paddock was almost
killed by it. Hurst, therefore, came into
full possession Of the turbulent honors of
the belt, to which boxer named Mace at
once laid claim. Mace is very small
man, though possessed of wonderful strength
and activity, almost harder hitter than
Sayers himself, and reputed to be the
most scientific pugilst alive, Yet. even
in these advantages it seemed almost mon
strous to suppose that he could contend
for an instant, with any chance of success,
against an adversary so overpowering in
strength, and size, and weight as Hurst.
Nevertheless, match was made for the
championship, and yesterday it was fought
to an issue on an island in the Medway,
and resulted in Mace Furnishing his gigan-
tic antagonist SO fearfully that he may lit
orally be said to have almost killed him
without receiving a blow in return. The
contrast between the two men as they en-
tered the ring was even more startlingly
aisproportionate than that between Heenan
and Sayers. Hurst stood nearly six feet
three inches In hight, and weighed sixteen
stone, or two hundred and twenty-four
pounds, while his gigantic swarthy chest
and limbs, in which the muscles stood out
in great folds and knots like bosses of
bronze, made his fguro look even larger
and more formidable, if possible, than it
was in reality, liz looking at bis massive
proportions, and the evidences of tremen-
duous strength as the thews and sinews
erept and rolled with every movement, one
felt kind of faeinating terror which
changed to almost sickening apprehension
for the fate of the man who had dared such
Colossus to combat, Among ordinary
men Mace would have seemed terrible
antagonist for any to cope with, but,


dwarfed and almost overshadowed by the
giant he had challenged his venture seemed
little short Of sheer madness. His height
is barely over five feet eight inches, his
weight only ten stone and half, or one
hundred and forty-seven pounds, yet, as he
prepared himself for the contest yesterday,
there was an easy air of nonchalance about
him. which, coupled with bis compact, fair
frame, and 1.-THE and active figure, on which
the small, but hard and well-developed,


his venture appear less desperate than it
was to those acquainted with his skill and
strength. Hurst, to his other advantages,
added that Of winning his cheice of cor
ners, and of course took that with his back
to the sun, leaving its fierce rays full in
the face of bis antagonist. When at last,
after shaking hands, the men stood alone
in the centre of the ring, it seemed almost
like coniving at murder to permit con-
test between two men so disproportioned
in size, height, strength and weight. Yet
Mace, as he s. ood up almost in the shad-
CIV eff his great assailant, seemed confident,
though, of course, cautious. Lightly Mace
moved in and out feinting and smiling, as
with a noiseless bound, like a cat, be sprang
just out Of distance of the ponderous arms
that seemed only required to move to crush
him. Gradually they drew nearer and
nearer, the giant waiting for his chance,
which the other now and then appeared to
give him, though, in reality, he ventured
nothing. At last Mace carefully ventured
in, and struck his opponent slightly three
or four times in the face. They were only
little blows, but enough to show him that
he could reach the slow, uHwleIdy boxer,
when he chose, and get out of all danger
of return with perfec: certainty. Appar-
emily satisfied with this knowledge Mace
began the fight with terrific blow, which
completely closed Hurst's eye, and seemed
to make his bulky frame tremble to his
very feet. Bafore the first round, which
lasted nearly twelve minutes, was over,
Hurst was smothered in his own blood, and
his face so gashed that, as far as''appearan-
ces went, Mace might have been assailing
him with razor. Still, asst was known that
Hurst had but to give one blow to win the
day, no one seemed inclined to back Mace,
who might at any moment get stroke that
would annihilate him. Yet the tremend-
Gus blow that always seemed impending
never came. Hurst evidently knew moth
ing about boxing, and his anita agonist there
fore merely drew aside with the most per-
feet sang Jroid from the slow, awkward,
movements of the ponderous arms, deliver
ing his own strokes full on the head and
face Of the giant with force and rapidity
that was terrible. In vain, like blind
Cyclors. Hurst threw his arms abroad, and
strove to grasp, to strike, even to touch
his 1.-THE, wiry foe--in vain be strove te
hem him into corner. Mace would sim


ply infiet his tremendous blows full on the
smashed face of his opponent, pass unde,


his arms, and be gone, almost before the
eve could follow bis movements Hurs