When Andy introduced him Hagin merely grunted. To the fighter Donald was simply one more punching-bag.
Donald turned to Andy. “What do you want me to do?” he asked.
“Oh, knock the blighter out of the ring,” rejoined Andy, with just a touch of sarcasm.
“Do you mean that?” queried Donald quickly.
Hagin came to the centre of the ring, assuming an awkward crouch, his arms wound about his face. Donald circled him warily. The big man feinted with his left. Donald danced within range, and the Australian let loose a terrific right swing that would have felled an ox. Donald side-stepped, jabbed his left twice to his opponent’s face, and his right missed Hagin’s jaw by the fraction of an inch. A surprised look came over the big man’s face. A murmur of applause came from the audience.
“Strike me pink! What a left ’and!” ejaculated Andy. Hagin scowled and tried to bring the fighting to close quarters, but was easily avoided by his lighter opponent.
Donald now took the aggressive. His left found weak spots in the big man’s defence, and repeatedly he sent in stinging jabs that drove his adversary’s head back with a snap. Try as he might, Hagin could not get away from that whizzing left. It is a bitter pill to be bested by one’s sparring partner. So far the Australian had been given a boxing lesson. He forced Donald into a corner and made for him savagely. Donald ducked under the flail-like swings, and shot a left upper-cut to Hagin’s jaw. The latter staggered weakly to the ropes. Donald was after him like a flash. Just then he saw Andy gesticulating wildly and shaking his head. Hagin lunged forward and Donald fell into a clinch. The gong rang.
“What’s the trouble, Andy?” asked Donald as he reached his corner.
“Strike me lucky!” whispered Andy hoarsely, “you’re punchin’ me meal-ticket. You’re makin’ a blinkin’ boob out of me ’eavyweight.”
“You told me to knock him out of the ring,” reminded Donald.
“Sure I did. But ’ow the ’ell did I know that you were a blinkin’ cyclone? Strike me blind, a left ’and like that I ’aven’t seen since I ’andled Young Griffo.”
“Tyke a punch and go down—’urt your ’and—anything to quit. But for ’eaven’s sake don’t mess up me ’eavyweight any more! If the public ever ’ears of this our big fight is all off!”