Page 51 of Educated By the Earl (Second Sons of London 1)

Jackson grinned broadly. “I look forward to it.”

By now, every man present inside the academy had gathered around the boxing square. Spencer felt the charged air and caught a few sympathetic looks tossed his way. He also saw not only had Ellington removed his gloves but he had stripped to the waist. Immediately, Spencer did the same. He didn’t need anything getting in his way or preventing him from giving Ellington a sound thrashing.

His shirt removed, he turned and faced his opponent. The earl’s confident air gave him pause, as did the man’s sleek physique. Ellington was no stranger to hard work, which had put the muscles on his athletic frame. Still, Spencer knew he had a definite advantage with more height and weight. His torso was even more muscled than his foe’s. Lord Ellington might have more formal experience in a boxing square but Spencer had his years of war experience, which had honed his senses and given him the ability to think quickly on his feet.

That—and the shock of him leading with his left hand—would now come into play.

Gentleman Jack motioned for the two men to come to the center of the square and they did, each standing opposite one another, with Jackson’s hands on both their shoulders.

“Broughton’s rules, my lords,” the former champion proclaimed. “Hitting a downed fighter is prohibited, as is grasping him below the waist. If a man goes down and cannot continue after I count to thirty, the match is over.”

“How many rounds?” he asked, eyeing his opponent.

“Three—and they’ll be three minutes each,” Jackson informed him. “You are permitted to drop to a knee to end the round if you wish.”

Ellington snorted. “It’s unmanly to do so, Middlefield. If you are in trouble, own up to it and take your hits like a man.”

“I won’t be in trouble,” Spencer said with no emotion, praying he could back up his words with swift action.

“What about biting, Jack?” a voice from the crowd called out.

Another added, “Or gouging?”

The academy owner glared out at the crowd. “I won’t tolerate biting or gouging,” he called out and looked at the two boxers. “And no hair-pulling.”

“Understood,” Spencer said and Ellington concurred.

“Good luck to you, gentlemen,” the older man said.

He leaned in and tapped his knuckles against his opponent’s and they both retreated to separate ends of the square.

A bell sounded and Spencer supposed that signaled the start of the first round. He moved to the center in order to meet Ellington. Both men’s hands came up in the guard position. Within the first thirty seconds, they had traded half a dozen jabs between them. The punches left no open space for a counterattack. Spencer knew the importance of the jab. It helped to gauge distance between two fighters and also tested an opponent’s defenses. A jab could also be used to set up a more powerful punch.

Already, he knew he could stand back slightly and still reach Ellington with his longer arm span. Spencer continued jabbing with his right hand and then threw in two blows in a row with his left. That wasn’t unusual. Most boxers threw jabs with either hand as they learned about their foe.

Then without warning, Spencer threw a quick right jab, followed by a strong left cross to the earl’s jaw, pushing his back shoulder forward and pivoting his body as he did so. The blow stunned Ellington and he staggered back. The shouts from the crowd intensified as Ellington regained his balance and met Spencer’s eyes. He saw the stunned look.

Ellington recovered quickly, however, moving forward and throwing a series of quick jabs, which Spencer defended. He blocked a cross from Ellington and delivered another powerful blow to the earl’s chin with a second cross punch. Again, his opponent stumbled back, amazement clear on his face. The crowd began yelling all at once, some encouraging Ellington while others had turned on the earl and began shouting their support of Spencer.

A bell rang and he realized the round had ended. He retreated to his corner, where several men close by slapped him on the back or patted his shoulders. His knuckles were sore and bleeding from the numerous blows. Taking a towel handed to him, he wiped the sweat from his face and then dabbed the blood from his knuckles.

Before he could get another breath, it was time to go at it again and he joined his opponent in the center once more, both men exchanging brutal blows, holding nothing back. He was struck several times in his torso and face and returned the same, punishing blows to Ellington. He stunned the earl with another cross and Ellington stumbled backward. He bent a moment, his hands on his thighs, and Spencer took time himself to take several deep breaths.

Without warning, Ellington charged him and he quickly threw a hook, a semi-round punch aimed at the earl’s head. It connected soundly.

The earl bent from the waist, his hands reaching out as he flailed. He never went down but Spencer moved back several steps in order to give Ellington some room. The older man swayed and Spencer held his breath, wondering if Ellington would drop to his knees and end the bout. He wished Ellington would. Already, his hands throbbed painfully, as did his chest and jaw.

The round ended and he retreated again to his corner. The crowd noise only grew during the brief respite, a cacophony of sound roaring in his head.

Then from across the square, Ellington smiled at him. As if he toyed with Spencer.

He couldn’t afford to have the earl smile at Tessa. Renewed, he stood to his full height, waiting for the bell. When it rang, both men rushed at one another with a vengeance. A rain of blows came from Spencer’s fists. He landed another hook to the side of the earl’s hard head and a hard jab to his nose. Blood spurted everywhere and Gentleman Jack moved closer.

“Had enough, my lord?” he asked Ellington.

With a murderous look in his eyes, Ellington said, “I will kill him.”

He came hard at Spencer and they traded several blows. Then he saw his window of opportunity and shifted his torso to the left, slightly bending his knees. His left fist rose vertically and he pushed his knees downward to give him more spring as his fist connected under Ellington’s jaw in an uppercut punch. It lifted his foe’s body, making Ellington off-balance as his head snapped back and then fell forward.

---