if a man was down , his principal had half a minute to bring him back to the side of the chalked square , opposite his opponent , lest he be deemed a beaten man ... no fighter was deemed beaten unless he failed to come back up to the line within thirty seconds ... a man was beaten if his own second declared it so ... once the fighting began , no person was allowed on the stage except the principals and their seconds ... no person could hit his adversary when he was down or seize him by the ham , the breeches , or any part below the waist ... let 's just get this thing underway !