He reigned as undefeated champion from 1719 to 1730 (at least records from this time are sparse and less than reliable) and started a school where he taught boxing, fencing with the small backsword and quarterstaff fighting. James Figg was an accomplished martial artist who was as adept with the sword and cudgel as he was with his bare fists. The first heavyweight boxing champion, backed by the Earl of Peterborough, would make a name for himself 20 years after that first recorded bout. The latter won the prize, as he hath done many others before, being account, though but a small man, the best at that exercise in England.”Īristocratic patronage would remain a constant as the sport rose to prominence although thankfully not in the direct service relationship of the Duke’s footman and butcher. “Yesterday a match of boxing was performed before his Grace, the Duke of Albemarle, between the Duke’s footman and a butcher. Here is the description of the event written up in The London Protestant Mercury: We don’t know the fighters’ names, just their employer because it was a very Upstairs-Downstairs sort of thing. The first recorded modern prizefight happened in January, 1681. There were still forms of spectator fist-fighting to be found, particularly in Italy and Russia, but it was in England where boxing was revived in the 16th century. It was his death in the ring in 1741 at the ends of champion Jack Broughton that changed boxing forever, inspiring the first rules that would transform the free-for-all practices of fisticuffs into a more structured sport with clear boundaries of fair play.Īlthough fist-fighting as a sport was popular in the ancient world from Sumer to Ancient Greece, after the fall of Rome bare knuckles gave way to weapons in the martial arts. Although the artist is unknown and it looks a lot like half of a 1760s painting by John Hamilton Mortimer (see below), the pre-sale estimate is $16,000 – $24,000, because it’s rare to find 18th century paintings depicting boxing and because George Stevenson played an important role in the history of the sport, although sadly not through his victories. Bonham’s is selling a portrait of an 18th century bare-knuckle boxer named George Stevenson.

Jack broughton boxing rules