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The return home from these gladiatorial exhibitions was generally as 

 fraught with adventure as was the journey down. Between one extor- 

 tion and another no man going to the inner ring of a prize-fight thirty 

 years ago could return under the cost of at least three sovereigns, and a 

 vast deal more if he was at all indiscreet or happened to get into more 

 than the ordinary bad luck attendant upon them. 



In olden times, before railways offered to the town roughs facility for 

 attending prize-fights, these horrible scenes at the ring-side were 

 unknown. Fights took place in the country, and the only spectators 

 outside the upper ten were the yokels from the neighbourhood, and they 

 behaved themselves. 



The fight between Sayers and Heenan, occurring as it did over thirty 

 years ago, is now never referred to or even thought of. Nowadays, when 

 everything is carried out at high pressure, recent events, no matter 

 how great, are soon forgotten, while those of a decade or two ago are 

 looked upon as ancient history. 



Dealing with the subject of this chapter and especially after referring 

 to the sham fights of the day, it would be wrong of me not to say 

 something about the greatest battle, and the one of all others the 

 most sensational that ever took place in the annals of the British Prize 

 Ring. To do so will recall to men like myself, who took deep interest 

 in the manly fights of old, memories of their heyday, while some of the 

 youngsters will learn the particulars of a great historic event which, 

 hearing of it only by tradition, they know no more about than probably 

 they do of the fight between David and Goliath. 



Tom Sayers was born at Brighton on May 15, 1826, and began life as 

 a bricklayer. He stood only 5ft. 8in. to 9in. in height, but being a 

 remarkably active and muscular youngster he was taken notice of by 

 some of the fancy and taught to spar, and when nearly twenty-three he 

 fought his first battle. It was with one Abey Couch for a modest fiver, 

 and Tom beat him on March 19, 1849. He then, within the next few years, 

 fought and beat, in succession, Dan Collins (after a draw). Jack Grant, 

 and Jack Martin. Then came upon Tom his first and only defeat. It 

 was given to him by the celebrated Nat Langham on October 18, 1853, 

 but not until after a most determined and desperate resistance through- 

 out sixty-one rounds, which occupied two hours and two minutes. 

 " Old Nat " found Sayers so rough a customer that he refused to fight 

 him again when Tom challenged him soon after. 



In four months after he backed himself at £50 to £25 to beat George 

 Sims, which he did easily in five minutes. 



Sayers did not then fight until 1856, when, with Harry Poulson, he 

 again showed what a wonderful man he was. Poulson was about the 

 best middle-weight of the day, but after a tremendous fight, which 

 lasted three hours and eight minutes, and after the 109th round, Tom 

 was declared the winner. Then in February, 1857, he fought Aaron 

 Jones, but, night coming on, the fight ended in a draw, but was brought 

 oflf soon after, when Sayers won. This victory established him champion 

 of the middle-weights. 



