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68.—Carter hit first with his left hand. Both down.

69.—Spring was now very weak, but he went in and punished Carter in all directions, till both went down.

70.—The fight was now drawing fast to an end. Carter was so confused and weak that he was hit to the ropes, where he stood still to receive, till he made a trifling struggle, when both went down.

71.—This was a strange and severe round; Carter endeavoured to make some hits; but, in closing, he received such a fall, with Spring upon him, that when time was called, he could not come again. One hour and fifty-five minutes had elapsed.

Remarks.—If Spring had been a punishing hitter, he must have won it in half the time. He, however, displayed not only consummate tactics in the offensive, but his defensive movements elicited general applause. Although never rash, he never shrunk from his work, and this triumphant defeat of the braggadocio north-countryman placed him on a pinnacle of fame.

Spring, in company with Cribb, now set out on a sparring tour in the west, in which a friendship was cemented which lasted for life, to the credit of both parties. Bill Neat (who had beaten the game Tom Oliver in the previous year, July 10, 1818) was picked out by the Bristolians for a match with “Young Spring” for 100 guineas a-side, and half-way between Bristol and London was named as the ground, articles signed, and £50 made good on September 6th, for a fight on the 6th of October following. But a certificate from Bristol, dated September 19th, 1819, states that “Neat, from a fall, having broken his right arm, twelve months must elapse before he will be well.” Spring complained, and justly, of not receiving forfeit in this case, as he had been put to considerable expenses, and Neat’s accident (generally supposed not to be a fracture at all) was occasioned by his imprudently running, for a wager, down a steep hill, known as King’s Weston.

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