Leonard C. Bibby “The Linekeeper” versus William Cresset “Bill Cresset”
The contest was stopped before the scheduled distance.
Bibby was billed as “The Linekeeper” for this contest. He worked from the outside behind his long lead hand, using his reach to make an opponent cross the distance.
A compact room remembered for its low gallery and clear sightlines.
Contest date: . Entry numbers identify records rather than dates.
Round by round.
Round 1
Cresset began with the steady advance for which he was known, refusing to hurry after a single missed lead. The Linekeeper held his ground long enough to answer, then stepped away before the next approach settled. The first round established a contest over position rather than pace.
Round 2
Cresset kept his feet closer beneath him and found a brief opportunity to work at shorter range. Bibby’s first answer did not immediately recover the gap. He had to turn out and begin again, giving Cresset a useful passage without allowing the pressure to become continuous.
Round 3
Bibby changed the rhythm of his lead, sometimes leaving it short before placing a firmer one as Cresset moved. The variation slowed the advance. Cresset remained willing to repeat the work, but he was arriving less often with enough balance to extend an exchange.
Round 4
Cresset made a better claim on the centre and forced Bibby towards a less convenient side of the room. He worked carefully when the space narrowed, giving the taller boxer little reason to remain there. Bibby’s exits required sharper timing than they had in the previous round.
Round 5
Bibby recovered the outside by taking a smaller first step and keeping the lead between them as he moved. Cresset could follow the direction but not always recover the distance. The clearer answers came as his advance paused, and Bibby was increasingly ready for that moment.
Round 6
Cresset attempted to carry the work forward once more, but Bibby met the approach with a firm lead and maintained his position for the next answer. Cresset’s replies diminished as the round continued. The contest was brought to a halt in the sixth, with Bibby the winner.