This book is included in the Self Reliance Self Defense section.
Author's Preface
It must be satisfactory to all true lovers of the Art, as a national and progressive institution, to feel that the past few years have witnessed changes - mostly in the right direction - in the
science of Boxing. First principles have not indeed changed, but the correct application of those principles has made a considerable step forward and is better understood. There has been no stagnation, and healthy Englishmen cannot but feel the greatest satisfaction that this branch of Athletics is daily gaining ground and increasing in popularity in all classes of the community
In a former treatise the author of the following pages endeavored to put beginners into the way of learning from first principles; in the present work an attempt is made to go rather more fully into the subject, and, with this object in view, he has added to certain chapters authentic accounts of important fights in which occurred situations or incidents especially dealt with in those chapters.
It is hoped that by this means the volume may not only be rendered more readable, but that more attention may be drawn to the various distinctive styles and the strong and weak points of fighters of different years.
Discussion or digression on points of ancient history are here avoided as being unnecessary in a practical work. Castor and Pollux do not interest us much; the heavy cestus
wielded by Milo must have made the wearer very slow, and, could the redoubtable champion of Cortona be now brought to the scratch in all his pristine vigour and armament, he would probably make but a poor show against a Peter Jackson, a Corbett, or a Fitzsimmons.
In a chapter set aside for the purpose reference is made to the comparative merits of certain pugilists, though it is impossible to truly estimate, from the contemplation of any particular fight, what such and such a man would do if opposed to a fighter of quite another school and style. Such discussion must be regarded as speculative to a very great extent. It is, however, always interesting to speculate on possibilities even though hampered with such intricate questions as comparative intelligence, condition, style, speed and reach, so long as some good is gleaned from the speculation.
Of recent years playing for the "knock out" has been much in vogue amongst professionals and
amateurs alike, and, as it appears open to question whether this plan of campaign is to be commended or not, as favourable to the advancement of the science, some consideration of the subject in Chapter IX has seemed advisable.
It has also been thought well to indicate some of the more prominent qualifications which go towards furnishing the raw material, as the author has occasionally been pained by noticing amongst his friends men who were pre-eminently fitted for the work by nature but who, not recognizing the fact, have never taken the trouble to learn.
It is often hard, when writing on technical subjects, to avoid ambiguities and repetitions, but an attempt has been made in the following pages to be as clear and concise as possible, as well as to bring the book well up to date.
It is to be regretted that want of space precludes the possibility of quoting a larger number of the more celebrated prize-fights. Those selected have been picked out with some care from a very large batch of such descriptions, and, of necessity, the doughty deeds of many mighty punishment-takers of the old school are missing from the present short record. In order to make up for this to some extent, and to facilitate a reference to really interesting accounts of older battles of the ring, a list of the Champions of England is given at the end of the book, and full descriptions of the fights may be perused in the pages of
Pugilistica and Boxiana.
For descriptions of modern glove fights the reader is referred to the back numbers of the various sporting papers, and these can usually be obtained at the offices of those papers.
It will then be borne in mind that this volume is merely a handbook on the subject of boxing and fighting: the few descriptions of prize fights have been collated as aids to assist students in their efforts to attain a thorough theoretical as well as practical knowledge of the subject. Possibly the very best examples have not been selected, but it is hoped that excuses will be made if this is the case, since the field of selection is so very large.
Contents
Chapter I. Introduction
Chapter II. Position and Style
Chapter III. Leg Work
Chapter IV. Straight Hitting
Chapter V. Half-Arm or Round Hits
Chapter VI. Guarding and Stopping
Chapter VII. The 'Side-Step' and 'Slipping'
Chapter VIII. Timing and Countering
Chapter IX. The Cross-Counter and Knock-Out Blows
Chapter X. Right-Handed Boxers
Chapter XI. Feints
Chapter XII. Foul Play
Chapter XIII. Weak Points and Dangerous Hits
Chapter XIV. Natural Fighters
Chapter XV. Comparisons and Qualifications
Chapter XVI. Instruction and Training
Chapter XVII. Catches, Falls, and In-Fighting
Chapter XVIII. Bad Examples
Chapter XIX. La Savate
Chapter XX. Definitions and Rules
Chapter XXI. Summary of Maxims
Appendix
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