The Difference In The
Condition Of The Two Men Must Have Been Enormous, For In Five
Minutes Heenan Was Completely Sightless.
Sayers, however, had not escaped scot-free.
In countering
the last attack, Heenan had broken one of the bones of
Sayers' right arm. Still the fight went on. It was now a
brutal scene. The blind man could not defend himself from
the other's terrible punishment. His whole face was so
swollen and distorted, that not a feature was recognisable.
But he evidently had his design. Each time Sayers struck him
and ducked, Heenan made a swoop with his long arms, and at
last he caught his enemy. With gigantic force he got Sayers'
head down, and heedless of his captive's pounding, backed
step by step to the ring. When there, he forced Sayers' neck
on to the rope, and, with all his weight, leant upon the
Englishman's shoulders. In a few moments the face of the
strangled man was black, his tongue was forced out of his
mouth, and his eyes from their sockets. His arms fell
powerless, and in a second or two more he would have been a
corpse. With a wild yell the crowd rushed to the rescue.
Warning cries of 'The police! The police!' mingled with the
shouts. The ropes were cut, and a general scamper for the
waiting train ended this last of the greatest prize-fights.
We two took it easily, and as the mob were scuttling away
from the police, we saw Sayers with his backers, who were
helping him to dress.
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