BOOK REVIEW 

Tracy Callis
 

Famous Pugilists of the English Prize Ring 1719-1870

Bareknuckles, Blood and Broken Bones

By Mick Hill

Famous Pugilists of the English Prize Ring 1719-1870	Bareknuckles, Blood and Broken Bones
This book is an attempt to portray all the so called Champions of the English Prize Ring and many of the most prominent pugilists of the lighter weights, from the generally agreed beginning of bare knuckle prize fighting, starting with James Figg in 1719, up until its demise in England around 1870. This was due to a gradual and increasing number of fighters starting to use gloves, as recommended in the Queensbury Rules of 1867, for the fighters own safety. Those who refused to give up the old style found it increasingly difficult to obtain paid fights in England so left these shores, mostly for America where bare fist fighting was still popular.	About fifty true accounts of 18th and 19th century bareknuckle prize fights in the counties surrounding London, known as the Home Counties. It describes the fights of well known, not so well known and obscure pugilists and their lives. The book follows on from a previous successful book on the subject by the author title Famous Pugilists of the English Prize Ring 1719-1870. A few years ago I was told by my mother that my grandfather took part in some local bareknuckle fights after being discharged through injury in 1916 from the Great War, although there are no details of his fights in Reading. My interest in this lay dormant until a few years ago when I decided to research the history of bareknuckle boxing in this country in the 18th and 19th centuries. This book contains about fifty true accounts of these fights from 1787-1865 which took place in the counties surrounding London known as the Home Counties. It describes the fights of well known, not so well known and obscure pugilists and their lives. These men were a breed apart with a few making their fortunes in the prize ring, others finished disfigured, alcoholics or paupers and many died young.
Paperback: 226 pages Publisher: FastPrint Publishing (February 1, 2013) ISBN-10: 178035505X ISBN-13: 978-1780355054 Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 0.7 x 9.2 inches Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces Price: $19.89 It can be purchased at amazon.com	Number of Pages: 251 Format(s): Paperback - ISBN: 9781784562359 Publication Date: 13/07/2015 Listed in: History of sport, Boxing Publisher: Upfront Publishing Price:  £13.99 ($22.45) It can be purchased at www.fast-print.net/bookshop or https://www.thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk
Review courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization [Return to Top] [Boxing News] [Tracy Callis Archive] [Return to Cyber] [CBZ Message Board] [Mike Casey Archive]