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William Perry, " the Tipton Slasher," then held the Champion's Belt, 

 and although he stood over six fee": and weighed nearly fifteen stone, the 

 :gallant Tom challenged him. Up to then no fight had ever caused 

 more interes", for although Sayers had proved himself by far the best 

 of his clas?, he was not considered good enough to be Champion of 

 England, and being so much beiO\y the Slasher in height and his weight 

 bsing only lOst. 5lbs., the pluck he displayed in challenging him was 

 greatly admired. 



The fight came off on June 16, 1857, and after one of the most 

 determined and desperate of battles Tom, to the surprise of many, beat 

 Perry, and thus took the Belt and became Champion of England 



Bill Benjamin was the first to challenge Tom for the trophy, but he 

 was beaten easily in three rounds, in January following. On the first 

 anniversary of his winning the Belt he had again to defend it against 

 Tom Paddock, another heavy-weight, whom he also beat. In April, '59, 

 Bill Benjamin again tack'ed Tom, but he was beaten in twenty-two 

 minutes. 



Sayers was so fond of fighting he would allow himself little rest ; so 

 five months after, backing himself at £600 to £400, he fought and beat 

 Bob Brettle in fifteen minutes. This fight was not, however, for the 

 Championship, for Sayers would only consent to have the Belt thrown 

 in if the match were at even money. 



Sayers had by this time shown that, irrespective of c'ass, he was, bar 

 none, the best man in England, but he was not long left alone, for his 

 old antagonist, Anron Jones, again challenged him. Soon after 

 signing articles news came from America that John Heenan wished to 

 fight Sayers for the Belt of England, whereupon arrangements were 

 made with Jones to withdraw in favour of Heenan. 



Sayers had up to this time fought no less than fifteen battles, 

 including the draws with Collins and Jones, and was beaten only once. 

 John Carmel Heenan was born of Irish parents in May, 1834, at West 

 Troy, Xew York, when Tum was exactly eight years old. At the 

 age of twelve he was sent to his uncle, who lived at Benicia, Califorijia, 

 and there he got apprenticed to a smith. Young Heenan soon developed 

 into a splendid specimen of manhool, and be:ame powerfully muscular 

 through wielding the sledge-hammer ; he was very fond of the gloves, 

 and so n got so handy with them that he was dubbed among the 

 Califoinian miners their ''Benic'-a Boy." 



At th's time Cu^ick the pug'list vi>ited the West, and meeting the 

 young gian*-, whc s ood 6ft. l|in. anl weighed between 13s'. and 14st., 

 persuaded him to come Eist and aspire to first honours in the pugilistic 

 circle. H enan accordingly arrived in New York in 1857, and took a 

 position as a leading pugilist, but, holding a Government appointment, 

 he d':d not phow inclination to enter the Prize King. After a time, 

 however, he fought John Morrissey for the Championship of America 

 a d 5,' 00 dollars a-side. The battle was decided at Long Point, Canat'a 

 West, on October 19, 1858, and after a sloggingconttst of eleven rounds 



