prizefighting

“I hear they're nutty on prizefighting like in Tahiti, and I'll teach 'em boxing,” he explained.

That turn was, the keeping alive of boxing in the teeth of the law against prizefighting.

In short, then, what has happened has been the virtual legalization of prizefighting under cover of the boxing glove.

In 1882, when this book was written, prizefighting seemed to be dying out.