329 



become much swollen and did not do their work as effectively as before. 

 One hour and eleven minutes had run off at the end of this round, with 

 Heenan favourite at 5 to 4. 



Strange to say, both men recovered wonderfully in the next round or 

 two, so that in the twenty- sixth was desperate fighting ; in the end Tom 

 got down and Heenan by accident struck him. An appeal of " foul" 

 was made, but it was properly overruled. 



The twenty-seventh was also hard fought. All this time Tom con- 

 tinued popping on to Heenan's left eye, which was now fast closing 

 up, the right having gone totally blind long before. He was stronger 

 on his pins but showed far more punishment than Tom, who, wonderful 

 to relate, showed little considering all he had gotten. 



Heenan in the thirty-first round again stuck to his corner and had to 

 be drawn by Tom, who went again to see how the left eye was improving, 

 but another tock dollerger sent the gallant champion for the ninth 

 time heels over head. 



In the next round Tom was very groggy and had to be visited in his 

 corner by the Boy, and after a lot of heavy in-fighting Sayers was again 

 floored. Heenan was now fast getting totally blind, and although 

 stronger than Sayers, unless he could finish the battle within a few 

 minute«, he would be unable to do so. He then forced the fighting 

 while Tom dodged for wind and rest. 



In the thirty-fifth round Heenan so peppered Tom that he turned 

 and ran with Heenan after him, but turning short he landed another 

 stinger on the fast-closing eye. Then followed rapid fighting, when 

 both fell, Tom under. Time up to now exactly two hours. 



Coming up for the thirty-sixth round, the Benicia Boy's face was a 

 si^ectacle to behold, while Tom was very weak. Heenan at once rushed 

 to a close, and catching Tom round the neck tried to get him across the 

 ropes ; but getting free, he slipped down. The police, who had arrived 

 a long time before and had been trying to get to the ring, now made a 

 determined effort to stop the fight, but were again kept back by the 

 crowd. 



For the thirty-seventh and last round Sayers came up first and 

 seemed the better man, while Heenan was almost totally blind ; but 

 catching Tom round the neck he then got him across the ropes, and 

 with all his weight lay across the poor fellow, who, nevertheless, kept 

 pegging into his man. To prevent Sayers being strangled, for he now 

 could not get away, the ropes were cut at exactly 9.35 a.m., after two 

 hours and six minutes' fighting. 



There was immediately a general rush made by the crowd into the 

 ring, and with the police striving to take into custody the men and the 

 seconds, a most furious riot ensued. What in reality took place no one 

 could tell, for everyone was hustled about, while the umpires and 

 referee were chucked clean out. There is, however, no doubt that 

 the combatants got together and fought five more rounds in a small 

 space made for them in the crowd, but there being no referee present, 



