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Special Despatch to the New York
Herald
BUFFALO, Oct. 21 - 2:40 A.M.
_
The fight between John Morrissey and John Heenan,
the Benicia Boy, came off yesterday afternoon at Long
Point, Canada, between seventy and eighty miles from
Buffalo. Eleven terrific rounds were fought in twenty-
two minutes, when Morrissey was declared the victor.
_
A more severe fight for the time it lasted never took
place in this country. Morrissey was the favorite at one
hundred to sixty.
_
About two thousand persons witnessed the fight, who
behaved themselves in the most orderly manner, and
everything passed off very quietly.
_
Morrissey was seconded by Kelly, of Australia, and an
assistant.
_
The Benicia Boy was seconded by Aaron Jones, an
English pugilist, and Johnny Mackey.
_
Persons from all parts of the United States and Canada
were present to witness the fight. Heenan had the best
of
the fight at the commencement, but after the fifth round
Morrissey took the lead and kept it. He has improved
greatly in his style since his fight with Yankee
Sullivan.
DETAILS OF THE
FIGHT
_
At twenty-four minutes past three o'clock the fight be-
gan. Morrissey looked more muscular than in any of his
previous fights. He seemed very confident. Heenan's form
was beautiful, but his condition did not appear up to
the
mark, his skin being very sallow. At the scratch both
men
put themselves in fine positions, and after sparring for
a
moment Morrissey struck out twice without reaching Hee-
nan. They then got to work, Heenan putting in his left
three or four times in succession, following Morrissey
up to the ropes, where they clinched and
fought desperately, both doing their best. They broke
away, and hit for hit followed, Heenan's hitting being
very strong and effective, Morrissey getting the worst
of
the fighting. They again clinched, and after fighting
for
some time, putting in a number of body blows, Morrissey
got a lock on Heenan, which the latter broke, and
getting
his leg behind Morrissey threw him heavily. In this
round Heenan, having outfought Morrissey, gained the
event, that of drawing first blood, which was loudly
claimed for him. Great cheering for the Benicia Boy.
The round lasted six minutes, and was terrific from be-
ginning to end.
SECOND ROUND.
_
Both men came up blowing from the fatigue of the last
round, it being one of the severest ever fought in this
country; but they were no sooner at the
scratch than they went to work, Heenan getting
in a left twice on Morrissey's nose, drawing the
blood in profusion. They then went to work, giving and
taking, Morrissey receiving the most punishment. Heenan
fought in such a masterly manner that doubts
were entertained about Morrissey's being able to
stand such hitting long. It is true that he planted
several good hits, but they were not so effective as
those of the Benicia Boy. He took the punishment man-
fully, never flinching an inch, getting in occasionally
on
Heenan's neck and ribs. They clinched, and as they
struggled for the fall Heenan placed his hand
across the face of Morrissey, when "foul" was
cried, but not noticed by the referees. During the
struggle they went down together, Heenan on
Morrissey.
THIRD ROUND.
_
As soon as the men reached the fighting be-
gan in earnest, Morrissey leading off, but falling
short,
while Heenan planted two terrible blows with his right
hand on Morrissey's face, making indelible marks se-
vere contusions. He also put in a few with his left
on Morrissey's nose. Still Morrissey was not idle,
getting
in two or three effective left hands hits on the mouth
and
nose, and a severe one on Heenan's left kidney. They
fought to a clinch with about equal success, when
Morris-
sey threw Heenan heavily and fell on him. Morrissey's
friends now began to cheer up, as their hopes began to
brighten.
FORTH ROUND.
_
Heenan, when he came to the scratch, looked very fa-
tigued, dropping his hands below the waist, which so
elated Morrissey's friends that the odds were again at
the
old standard - one hundred to sixty. As the men came
together Heenan hit Morrissey a tremendous blow on the
nose which staggered him, but as Heenan followed Morris-
sey planted a still more terrific one on Heenan's nose,
which spirited the blood from his nose all over the
breast
and neck. Both men were now covered with blood, which
was flowing from several wounds on each of their faces.
They soon fought to a clinch, when Morrissey, being the
stronger man, threw Heenan and fell on top of him. It
was now evident that the Benica Boy had been fighting
too fast, and was showing conclusive signs of
weakness.
FIFTH ROUND.
_
They both appeared at the scratch badly beaten, Mor-
issey's face showing the greatest punishment. Heenan's
hands were down, and his legs were shaking
from weakness. As soon as they met, Morrissey
hit Heenan a heavy blow on the forehead,
which staggered him, and twisted him half way
round. He came back leading with his left, which was
stopped, and Morrissey countered him terrifically on the
nose again, drawing the claret in greater quantities.
Heenan fought very wildly, getting his left hand around
Morrissey's neck; but again Morrissey was with him, and
gave him hit for hit, finishing the round by a clean
knock-
down blow. One hundred to twenty offered on Morrissey,
and no taker.
SIXTH ROUND.
_
Morrissey came up surprisingly strong, while Heenan
was growing weaker and weaker, and showed evident
signs of defeat. Morrissey led off with his left,
reaching
Heenan's nose, Heenan returning his left and right,
which
staggered Morrissey, and they then both stopped fighting
and looked at each other for about half a minute, when
Morrissey began to fight with renewed energy, planting
his left hand on Heenan's neck heavily, then stopping
two
or three well meant ones of Heenan, which would have
done mischief had they reached home. Heenan fought
very wildly, and missed a number of blows, although
he got in some on Morrissey's head. The round
was closed by Morrissey clinching him and giving him a
severe upper cut with his right hand, then throwing him
and falling on him.
SEVENTH ROUND.
_
Morrissey again took the initiative, and gave Heenan a
sharp hit on the mouth and another on the neck -
Heenan getting in two staggling hits on Morrissey's
face, which was by this time dreadfully disfigured.
Heenan was also much injured about the nose
and mouth, and was bleeding very much.
His weakness, together with his despairing look - for it
was evident that his strength had left him, and he was
fast failing - was discouraging to his friends.
Morrissey,
on the other hand, seemed to be getting stronger,
showing
the hardest hitting. He delivered more effective hits
in this round than Heenan, and put in two or
three heavy hits on Heenan's kidneys, which
hurt Heenan very badly. The round closed
with a clinch, and by Morrissey throwing Heenan. Some
cries of "foul" were heard as Morrissey's hand accident-
ally passed over Heenan's face in the struggle.
EIGHTH ROUND.
_
Heenan came up to the scratch staggering, his
hands hanging by his side, waiting for the at-
tack, but with no seeming disposition to hasten it,
while Morrissey went up to his work with a
great deal of courage. Heenan, after a pass from
Morrissey, put in two blows with his right, and received
in
return six or eight hits from Morrissey in the face and
body, some of which where very severe. Heenan's blows
seemed to have lost their force now, and had little
effect
on Morrissey's adamantine head. The round closed with
Heenan falling from exhaustion.
NINTH ROUND.
_
Heenan seemed all aboard. He waited for Morrissey
to come to him, and seemed to fight from compulsion
alone. He struck out several times without hitting his
antagonist, turning completely round with his blows,
giving Morrissey great chance of punishing him and fin-
ishing the fight; but the latter was not sharp enough to
follow up his advantage. Morrissey, however, got in
some clever hits, and finally knocked Heenan down with a
right hander on the neck.
TENTH ROUND.
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The hitting in this round was altogether in favor of
Morrissey, although the number of blows was about even,
an nearly all about the head. Heenan's blows had no
force at all. After a clinch Heenan was thrown.
ELEVENTH AND LAST ROUND.
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Heenan came up staggering, and looked pitiful,
the fight being entirely out of him from Morrissey's
severe hitting in the latter part of the fight. He
was hardly able to stand up, and when Morrissey
went up to him his guard went down, and Morrissey hit
him a very severe blow on the jugular, which knocked
him out of time, and he fell on his face, Morrissey
step-
ping away from him.
_
And thus ended the fight for the championship of
America.
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Morrissey, at the end of the fight, jumped over the
ropes and walked to the house, while Heenan did not re-
cover his consciousness for half an hour after the fight
was over.
_
Morrissey says this is his last fight, and it is to be
hoped
he will keep his word.
THE EXCITEMENT IN THE CITY.
_
The fighting and gambling fraternity were all agog yes-
terday. From an early hour in the evening until past
midnight the spirit of the prize ring was prevalent in
every
bar room, bowling alley and billiard saloon in the city.
Morrissey and Heenan were immortalized; and, in the eyes
of the "fancy," there were no such important personages
now extant as the individuals already named. The crowds
around the various newspaper offices labored under an
intense state of excitement at every false alarm which
was
circulated concerning the all absorbing topic of the
day.
Newsboys took advantage of the fever and palmed off any
number of ancient extras without the slightest
difficulty.
Pickpockets and counterfeiters also took advantage of
this
chance and reaped a bountiful harvest. We heard
of one gentleman who lost a gold watch and chain, valued
at $275, and another a breastpin valued at $125. How
many others suffered at the hands of the thieves it is
im-
possible to estimate. It was hoped that the news of the
fight would reach this city about seven o'clock P.M.,
but
the "fancy" were doomed to be disappointed. Neverthe-
less, they kept up under this and many other
difficulties
until the news did arrive, and then may be there wasn't
a reaction. The friends and admirers of Morrissey and
Heenan were equally sanguine and willing to double the
bets, even up to the last hour. A great deal of money
changed hands, and many of the most knowing ones lost
heavily. As eleven o'clock drew nigh the newsboys got
up a torch light (paper) procession, and paraded the
streets, shrieking at the tops of their voices - "Three
cheers for Morrissey!" or "three cheers for the Benicia
Boy," just as they felt inclined. It would have been
hard
to decide which of the modern gladiators had the most
friends. At one time the child of Benicia was on every
man's tongue, then it changed, and Morrissey was the
favorite against all odds. On several occasions the
feeling
between the Morrissey and Heenan men grew warm, and
any number of "set-tos" were had upon the sidewalks.
The newsboys (innocent creatures) joined in the
factional
spirit, fought mimic battles, and made so much noise
that
even the police were kept awake. If the thoughtless
youths had kept up the clamor until daylight, we would
like to know what would have become of the poor police-
men. Deprived of their usual nap they would feel so cha-
grined that no doubt many of them would resign their
situations in disgust.
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