GREAT PRIZE FIGHT. THE SMITH-KILRAIN COMBAT. 106 ROUNDS AND A DRAW. London, December 19.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 241, 11 February 1888, Page 5 (Supplement)

GREAT PRIZE FIGHT. THE SMITH-KILRAIN COMBAT. 106 ROUNDS AND A DRAW. London, December 19.

The international contest between Jake Kilrain, oi Baltimore, and Jem Smith, of ' England, for the diamond bolt and championship of the world, took place on the Island of St. Pierre, in the River Seine, Prance, to-day, in tho presence of about 100 persons. G. W. Atkinson, the referee, perfoimed his duties with satisfaction to all .concerned. Jem Smith was seconded by Jake Baldock and Oack Harper, and was attended by Jem Howes and Dick Roberts. Jack Kilrain was seconded by Charley Mitchell and Ned Donnelly, and was attended by Charley Rowell. ' Messrs Fleming 'and Harding acted as time-keepers and umpires. , The fight was remarkable for the persistent wrestlfag of the men. In the fourth lound Smith was knocked nearly silly by a terrific smack oh the ear. Though' Smith had the wbrst of tho. falls he iougtit splendidly under great r difficulties, and was. as fresh as Kilrairi \tfhen' darkheWV^toppe'd fight at ( 4745,4 7 45, o'clock. One hundred 'and six rounds' were" fptighfc, la 4 stth ) g' two and a half hours. The fight was declared a- draw. „ The following is v a detailed ,acqount, of ;the%ht\yWnds:^ /<; ;',, ."V,, ' -„ , . Bound I—The1 — The men had ino- ,so6her faced each other than Ijtilrain ledoif with' his left and landed' lightly' 6ri^"bVf of Smith, whd'^ountprea^yiciously.'with 'hiB,'lef^ in the' region" of"" R'ih'Hin'fi i, bread -bhsliet," b'i|ili Kilrain noi# Btopoe J d'*th0 J iik^ntlea.blow and r6turried a ! useful taft on th<| feame]part of .Smith's t a?nabpsyj',j* Both ' ppn r i}pw starred 'cdiu'trousi^' btit sdon closed ', -Kilrain going unde.r Smith.

Round, 2 — As soon as the men came to gobhor again the American dashed out with his left, but was cleverly stopped by Smith, who sent in Ins left sharply on Kilrain's body, and then closed ana wrestled for a fall, whiph again resulted, in favour of the Englishman. Round 3— The English party wore now jubilant. Their man came up smiling. Kilrain, however, again forced the fighting, but Jem cleverly dodged out of the way of a -well-meant visitation on the cheat. Smith now popped in his left and again closed. After some severe fighting in his own corner, tho Englishman gob his man down.

A Blow on tho Ear. Round 4 — The pah 1 responded quickly to the call of time, each wearing 1 a look of dogged determination. Kilrain was the first to commence hostilities, letting ily his left, which landed heavily on Smith s head, but in return he waß tho recipient of a fedhot one on the right eye, Smith getting his left fairly home with such force that Kilrain's optic soon showed feigns of closing. Neither appeared to care for this attention to each other, the result being both fought with great dash. Some heavy countering followed. During this the American landed a terrific right-hander on Smith's left car, which narrowly escaped giving tho Englishman his coup de r/race. It so staggeied Smith that he had great difficulty in keeping up, and ho had all the worst of it when they foil. Round s—lt5 — It was now the Yankees' turn to crow, and Kilrain, following up his advantage, forced the pace and at once went in for fighting and threw his man, Smith going down heavily. Round 6 — As soon as the men had their hands up some light exchanges took place. Smith dashed out his left and gob a stinger on the head, when the men closed and went down. Rounds 7 and 8 were remarkable for the hugging tactics in which neither man made any headway.

A Leit Hand Fluth on the Now, Round 9 — Kilrain let fly with his left and right, bub was cleverly stopped by Jem, and Jem returned the intended compliment with interest, getting in a tremendous left hand flush on the nose, following this up with a right on the body, the round closing with Smith uppermost. Round 10— Tho pair got in close quarters, Kilrain finally throwing his antagonist heavily. Round 11 — Kilrain led, but fell short, and Smith, taking advantage of this, dashed his . left on Kilrain's body and supplemented it | with his favourite on the mask. Kilrain did not relish this, and retaliated with his right on the body, being repaid with a heavy smack on the ribs. Rounds 12 and 13 were unimportant. Round 14 — Smith dashed his left home three times in the face, when Kilrain again saved himself by getting close in and throwing his man. ; Rounds 15 and 16— The partisans of Smith appeared highly delighted when they saw Bound refreshment administered to Kilrain. Both men spai red for wind, until Kilrain brought the round to a close by felling his opponent. Round 17— Kilrain shot his left in on Jem's body, and Smith slipped and fell.

The First Knock-Down Blow. Round 18— Smith led off with his loft, which reached his opponent's head, but was smartly countered by Jake with a terrific ; right hander on the jaw, knocking Smith : clean off his pins. This was the first knockj down blow in the fight. j Bounds 19 and 20 — Little progress was made. Round 21 — Smith was evidently considerably distressed by his repeated falls, and, I thanks to the terrible blow received in the ! last round, came up a bit groggy. Kilrain took advantage of this and aimed a straight i left-hander, but Smith warded off the blow and gave rece pt in full on Kilrain's forehead. It was now his turn to be aggressive, and after landing a vigorous right-hander on the ribs ho brought his left into play twice in succession before going down, Kilrain falling heavily on Smith. During the next seventeen rounds there was very little attempt at fighting ; the rounds consisted principally of wrestling, Kilrain evidently having a wholesome dread of Jem's right. Round 39— Kilrain, eager for business, popped his left in on Smith's body. Smith aimed his terrific left-hander at the Yankee, which the latter, by good fortune, just missed. Kilrain not relishing this, rushed at his man and brought him down with a thud. Rounds 40 to 42— Very little was done save hugging, Kilrain going over to Smith's corner with the usual result, throwing Smith and falling uppermost.

A Blow on Smith's Mask. Bound 43— Smith led offwith his lef6 and Kilraiu got home a straight one from the shoulder on Smith's mask. Smith placed a rapid one on Kiirain 's head, when the latter closed with him and again brought him down. In the 45th round both were more inclined to close and wrestle than to fight. Kiirain had all the best of the 50th round. Up to the 90th round Kiirain held the advantage, and had knocked Smith down three times, while Smith had only succeeded in knocking Kiirain down once. The 100 th round had been fought in an hour .and twenty minutes. The light was now fast fading. Smith's seconds urged that the time-keepers could not see their • watches. In the one hundred and sixth round both I were fighting as quickly as at the start, ; I when Mr Atkinson ordered an adjournment ! of the contest until next day amid loud ! cheers, the spectators being delighted with the pluck shown by both men. In Svillivan's opinion, to-day's fight was the gamest witnessed in many yeais between big men. On the 4th January, the Prince of Wales took tho pains to deny the story that he was a member of the Smith-Kilrain Banquet Committee. A fight has been arranged between Jackßurke, the Australian champion, and Kiirain, the. American bruiser.

A Reporter Murdered. A despatch from 1 London, January 6bh, says the body of Archie 'McNeill, who went to Fvanoe bo report -the Smith-Kilrain fight for the London "Sportsman," and who lias been missing since, was found on the beach at Boulognc-sur-mer. There were distinct marks on the throat showing that he Had been strangled. ' He was known, to have in his possession when • last 1 seen Bank of- England notes and a watch, all of which are inissing. A poftt mortem was made on the -7th. The Tbody is not swollen. The nose is broken, and-there are several wounds- on ,tha ,' head.' • In the pockets were, found some pencils,. a; pair of scissors, telegraph blanks, • and ah account pf; .the tight. 1 The opinion .is that the urn fortunate man was 'robbed, and ih^n thrown into; the water. ! .The police, >on January £y>h, .received an 'anonymous letted enclosing Isie bajakaiotes, taken from McNeill's body.

'"^P^sepgj^r, !ii' secpncl-cjass : . " I think I've got ijptp f the . #$ong , car.ria^e^',' Tick^t» be,paid ? ", •i'^aBS,eDg§p l »U;iqmphjft.ntly, : *\ Qh, just so ; then I'll trouble you for three shillings. I've a first-class ticket,"