James Figg

[mr. magoo]

James Figg is a name that is rarely mentioned among boxing fans. he was what some historians considered to be the first true champion. Living from 1695-1734, Figg was the first English bare- knuckle champion. Apparently, he held this title for 11 years. He also new a great deal about wrestling and fencing from what I've read. Figg later founded his own academy for boxing.

Anyone have anything else?

[Sonny's jab]

I have a copy of his cudgel fight with Ned Sutton on DVD.

The film is a bit grainy, as you could imagine, but I'm impressed with his skills. The footage cuts off when they get their swords out. :D

I'll dig it out sometime and upload it, but at the moment I think it's buried under my 100 DVD collection of Harry Greb's entire career.

[Dempsey1238]

Harry Greb's entire career

I dont think 100 DVD's can fit almost 300 fights in compare to Greb.

[cross_trainer]

I have a copy of his cudgel fight with Ned Sutton on DVD.

The film is a bit grainy, as you could imagine, but I'm impressed with his skills. The footage cuts off when they get their swords out. :D

I'll dig it out sometime and upload it, but at the moment I think it's buried under my 100 DVD collection of Harry Greb's entire career.

That's nothing. I have Cribb's entire career on film.

Well, actually it's about 500,000 paintings that you use like a flip-book.

[Sonny's jab]

That's nothing. I have Cribb's entire career on film.

Well, actually it's about 500,000 paintings that you use like a flip-book.

:lol:

[TBooze]

James Figg is a name that is rarely mentioned among boxing fans. he was what some historians considered to be the first true champion. Living from 1695-1734, Figg was the first English bare- knuckle champion. Apparently, he held this title for 11 years. He also new a great deal about wrestling and fencing from what I've read. Figg later founded his own academy for boxing.

Anyone have anything else?

Six feet tall he won the championship in 1719 defeated Ned Sutton three times (with his fists, a sword and a cudgel.

With the backing of his patron (The Earl of Peterborough) Figg opened a fighting academy on what is now The Tottenham Court Road (London).

His advertising card was designed by artist William Hogwarth and proclaimed Figg "Master of the nobel science of defence" ands offered to teach Gentlemen "the small backsword and quarterstaff at home or abroad".

Figg later established Figg's amphitheatre in Oxford Road, an arena dedicated to prizefighting.

Figg remained champion until 1734 when his star pupil George Taylor declared himself successor to the title.

Figg who socialized with the Prince of Wales died in 1734 leaving a wife and several children.

Although known as the 'Father of Boxing' many considered him a better swordsman.

[Senya13]

His birthdate is more probably February 1684.
Supposedly had over 270 fights winning all, except one (1st meeting with Sutton, when he was ill, Figg won the rematch and the well-known 1727 rubber match).

[Smokin'Joe100]

Yeah Figg was a master swordsman, who occasionally competed with fists and wrestling. Not a boxer by todays standards! I love to learn about the old fighters. One who interests me a lot is Jack Slack, who was Figg's grandson (or was it Cribb's?) Anywho, he was apparently a fantastic fighter who reigned as champ for a short period of time, then disappeared into obscurity and i havent found out what became of him. Anyone here know?

[dmille]

Didn't he also teach savate at his school?

[Seamus]

FiggKO4Klitchko.

[Senya13]

It is highly unlikely that Jack Slack was Figg's grandson, it was most probably a myth (possibly, same as The Earl of Peterborough seeing Figg in Thame and bringing him to London, they most probably met after Figg already moved to London). Slack was born in 1721 in Thorpe. Even taking 1684 as the year of Figg's birth, he'd be only 37 (only 26 years old if we take commonly accepted 1695 as his birthdate) when his grandson was born, sounds kinda early to me, and Thorpe is quite a distance from London.

And ten years is hardly a "short reign" (1750-1760).

[mick1]

Slack was supposed to be a sly old sod, probably as crude a fighter as the many of the others of that time who was supposed to have invented a punch similar to a rabbit punch, probably from his experience as a butcher. After beating Broughton it is said that the reason he held the title for 10 years was because all the fights after that were recognized as non title until he met Jack Moreton in 1759. Probably wanted to hold on to the title as long as possible and didn't want to risk it until he met a sucker. Also allegedly involved in many fixed fights which could also be another reason he held it so long.

[Senya13]

Just because current version of his record doesn't show many bouts, it doesn't mean he didn't fight during those years. Although his loss to Stevens is suspicious. Being a 20-1 favorite and losing in only 3 minutes...

[amhlilhaus]

the accepted wisdom is slack fought at least three title fights in the 1750's, cornelius harris, monsieur le petit and jack moreton.

broughton's loss to slack drove away the duke of cumberland from boxing, and as he was in line for the crown his disapproval meant the nobility stayed away from the ring, and the fights went out into the countryside. take that and no first rate chronicler and the era is not well documented.

slack is always accused of taking part in numerous fixes, but were they as a backer or a fighter? no one really knows.

and Figg's loss to Sutton was most likely a cudgel match but Sutton was the only person known to beat Figg at any of the three combats he specialized in.

[Senya13]

I'd throw "accepted wisdom" out the window when it concerns the time before, say, 1790. Because it hasn't been researched properly if at all.
Sutton wasn't the only, or even the first one, to have defeated Figg.
Slack's loss to the Nailer (on a different date than the "accepted wisdom" telling us, and with different duration) was attended by "persons of distinction"; although the name is not given, but considering he was referred as "His Grace", probably a Duke attended it and bet 4000l on Slack.

[mick1]

Accepted that Slack's recognized record probably does not show all his fights, like many fighters of the bareknuckle era because of the lack of coverage compared with now, however I think they were just as cunning then as now at avoiding certain fighters or challenges using injury, not enough purse money or weight differences as excuses once they were generally recognized as champion or top contenders. You only have to look generally at the size of some of the purse's offered i.e., £5-£20 to see they were probably not recognized championship fights compared to what were were generally accepted as title fights when purse money was often reputed to be £50-£400 or more, not that you can always judge title fights this way. Some of them also earned extra money by taking part in exhibitions and touring with other fighters to all the well known fairs at the time. I still think in Slack's case like many others the number of title fights they were involved in was exagerrated, probably by their supporters and backers.

[Senya13]

By that time I don't think there was such thing yet as a recognized champion or a top contender. No purses either, they either backed themselves with their own money or had backers. No exhibitions or tours from what I know, that practice appeared much later, when Mendoza and others appeared on the stage.