THE RING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 844, 4 May 1888, Page 11

THE RING.

JJEM MACE!.

(Written for the New Zealand Mail.) (Continued) Mace in America—His Fight with Tom Allen—Challenged by Joe Coburn—A Novel Challenge A Bloodless Fight Matched Against Coburn Again. Late in the year 1869 Mace arrived at New York, accompanied by his business manager and his cousin Poolcy Mace. After, travelling about the States for some mouths, giving exhibitions with his cousin, he was urged to enter the ring .again and try his strength with the pugilists of America. At that time Tom Allen was champion of America, and the Englishman was at length induced to challenge him to fight SCOOdols a-sidq ana Ine Championship. ' This challenge was accepted by Allen, the stakes being reduced to 2500d01s a-side ? and (ho fight took place at a spot a few miles distant frotft Nei7 Orleans on-.tfce' ioH» : 'May, IS7G. Mace ■vyaiTsecanded by Cusick (the same who seconded Heenan in liis fight with Sayers), and Jerry i Donovan, and Allen by Joe Coburn and. Thurston. Heenan (the Benicia boy), umpired for Mace, and Ryan for Allen. R.. Hunt was referee, and Smith, still a. notable American sport, timekeeper. Allen was much the bigger man, but Mace,, appearing to be in splendid condition, and in view; doubtless of his record on the other sids of tlje water, was installed firm favorite.Mace was very, confident of victory, and offered to bet hia opponent £IOO that ha won..*. Allen, however, was ‘not on.’ >» -•Round lv—As " the ’ pugilists faced each other, offers of a hundred to seventy 6' a Mace found no takers, his appearance being very much superior to that of his opponent. For a few minutes the men sparred and endeavored to draw each bther out, and then

Maoo opened th' ball Iby hander over Aliena WJ J^j„ ed fire, Mace -wild lunging return, fj er hia blow, 'having got away heavy ■presently, however, Allen pu** clogec { A -into Maces ribs, and th Qre they f e n, r sharp struggle took plan b a * al ' which was watched with a ° nlat . ion ag come down, aoteverjluen was very much underneath. a took Allen just under the right eye. •TThe American returned a heavy right-hander Sn the body? and presently stopped Mace on the Dociy, u 1 again m the same ZTe m MLe y g ?t S?rheavy K oneonthe nose K<W lira? blood, and Alloa r«P»»dM • Xo >“i»rs2; r aenfc was inflicted way, g b best of what was done. .Round 6.—Mace get Allen a head in , S,?,eery ard fibbed 1 SSd to cross buttock Mace, falling on * “rouotL —Very little was done both men b eta* intent tospar. Eventually, they c hnched and went down together. ROUND S. A hundred to Lo was offered „ Sand found no takers. After some li ively exchanges they closed for the -all, m v rhich Mace was underneath. Bootd 9.— Mace went to work with a u dU and got all over his opponent’s face, rel »lving in return some heavy ones in the rbV S Mace went in to nmsh the fight, but w , ls . caught napping and received a heavy r i ig ht-hander under the ear whicn knocked bdm <off his feet. . , T? o\ tnd 10 and last.—This was the hardest i attest round fought. Mace devoted - to Allen’s face, and inflicted terrible hl in She vicinity of the eyes while sd?en h hi’‘t seldom, but always with all his A 1 fen m f getting one in which So uld'fin ishthefight, Is Tom King had done “re hiu. i- Mace, however, was much too b f Jf be had in that way again, and ama srt to Allen’s head in chancery 'lhat pi oved the last struggle. Allen ?2L vo heroic ally to turn his opponent over, Mace holding on like grim death but mace, fibbing, and began to bear the Sound. Slowly but it went down,® until with a last si arely it e threw the American a S; S£. 't „ed fell on top Of him SJ, wo,bed ~«£<» “ h TSS ?o“wb h .» th e spectators rushed . that he ba, l en rec a e y ived a a ffll w.hich had completely n “ . .- hA was manifestly a stunned him, and as n v threw ud bea ten man his up the sponge. Time of fightm^-.. M ac e was practically conn.tar, and the only marks he „ bu.tnv> under the ear and a fe.w »raises about th e body. Allen, on the other was badJy used up, and had to be atttnaen. to in the ring far some time before he coi-dd walk away. Mace's opinion of Allen Wa.i that he wsss a very game fighter, but wanting in science and judgment. After this Ms ice again retired from the arena of active p ugilism, and opened* saloon called ‘The Capital, m New York. Here he did a roaring business among the sports of the city for some months, until lace in 1870 he was pro voked into fighting again, in a somewhat peculiar way. Joe Coburn, fwho bad been matched, as will be remembered to fight Mace in Ireland some six years before), was then champion of America Mace’s name ami reputation after bis fight -wfth Allen had even increased m the eyes of The American siports, and he was looked nnotf as * the daddy of them all still. As a " P °f of mettle, and withal a good deal of “ide' this sort of thing was very annoying ?“ Coburn, who Had never bad a chance of *°viU himself against the celebrated C “Sman. For a long time it; had been 4- that there was nob room in the IT ld fpl ‘or the two giants—that one must be b It ma n7-cd Coburn, about the date “ Y™tr’ formulated his grievance, and mentioned,- . to mee t Mace, who. h.e -; exp rzt If -aid of him. Mace really did again, and when it is re. not want to \ he was now all but forty membered tha, fi« h V . q the rlng for loTears one can easily understand his reZU year , t r me n who were so much luctance to encounte himself. Well, younger and Btronger November, 1870, wlnt «*■»”. an opportunity for an argument, struckhima blow in the face. Mace, though taken by surprise showed fight, and Cohum retreated.* At this juncture the Dystanders interfered, and wiser counsels prevailing, the pugilists agreed to settle their d-.fferenc the men met in Canada on the lHh May, 1871. Mace was seconded, as in his fight with Allen, by .Jerry Donovan and Cusick, and Coburn was .attended by Geoghegan and Dwyer. The fiabt —if fight it can he called—was a a Woodless one, not a blow being stack ® either side. When time was called the men, faced each other and sparred for a .lew ' unutesina very gingerly manner, neither peariug to like to make a start. Presently Yiav'e lunged out with hiß left, and Coburn "Jlp,>ed out of range. Mace-declined to follow • and stood with hands on hips looking S the Yankee. The spectators very soon began t(f yell for some fun, and Coburn came S th? mark again. Once more they sparred for a few minutes, and then stood off and looked at each other. This sort of thing went on for an hour and twenty minutes, when the sheriff’s officers . e f niKl ordered "fclio men to , , • one of the most remarksbla .affairs known connection with the prize ring • Cobnrn and Mace were to ° finish the fight a month later, ■ At f city. Mace was there, by order o L.'“ e referee, but Coburn did not turn up. ri °"; ever, a fight was arranged to take place New Orleans on the 31st November, 1871, zfor the championship 'and 2500d01s a.eide, (To be continued.)