"Hang it, I'm only twenty-three!" said Montgomery to himself, and read
on more cheerfully.
Having in his youth shown a surprising aptitude for the game, he
fought his way up among his comrades, until he became the
recognised champion of the district and won the proud title which
he still holds. Ambitious of a more than local fame, he secured a
patron, and fought his first fight against Jack Barton, of
Birmingham, in May 1880, at the old Loiterers' Club. Craggs,
who fought at ten stone-two at the time, had the better of fifteen
rattling rounds, and gained an award on points against the Midlander.
Having disposed of James Dunn, of Rotherhithe, Cameron, of Glasgow,
and a youth named Fernie, he was thought so highly of by the fancy
that he was matched against Ernest Willox, at that time
middle-weight champion of the North of England, and defeated him in a
hard-fought battle, knocking him out in the tenth round after a
punishing contest. At this period it looked as if the very highest
honours of the ring were within the reach of the young Yorkshireman,
but he was laid upon the shelf by a most unfortunate accident. The
kick of a horse broke his thigh, and for a year he was compelled to
rest himself.
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