The couple lived on very humble means and Cravan eventually got seriously ill with amoebic dysentery, fever, stomach issues. During this time there was increasing pressure for the couple to leave Mexico city as Cravan, being a draft-dodger, was being pursued by American secret police. After Loy nursed him back to health, the couple decided to leave Mexico City separately – Loy leaving first, in order to research escape routes to Argentina, and Cravan remaining in order to raise some money. In his desperation Cravan took up a fight against Jim Smith in which he was humiliatingly beaten.