I was a former slave

Tom Molineaux

 

Sparticus?

 

Thomas Molyneux

 

I was going to guess Peter Jackson, but just did a quick search and he was born a free man! and apparently was not american??

 

Tom Molyneaux?

I am sorry. Getting tired--I didn't scroll down to see that it had been answered already.

 

There was an interesting documentary about Cribb,Molineaux and Richmond a few years ago on British television.

Video quality isn't great,but it's in full here:


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYR0L2lZSyg[/ame]


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gP4y6C8QVI&feature=related[/ame]


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTfU6T_hCN4&feature=related[/ame]


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsAKUIPBw4c&feature=related[/ame]


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l437HZElbvU&feature=related[/ame]

 

If you want a ripping read about Tom Molineaux have a look at a book called Black Ajax by George Macdonald Fraser.

It's fiction but based on fact and is hugely entertaining and has a real authentic period feel about it.

 

Cassius Clay?

 

Heavens a long way off, but perhaps you would like to read the Times of London report on the fight--I will try to post it.

Times of London--9-30-1811

The pending battle betwixt the formidable champion, Cribb, and the powerful Molineaux, which has been the first and only consideration among the sporting world, took place on Saturday, at Thistleton Gap, in the county of Rutland, eight miles from Grantham, bordering on three other counties. A 25 foot stage was erected in a stubble ground, without the slightest interruption, and before twelve o'clock several thousands of persons had collected, the one-fourth of whom were nobility and gentry from the surrounding country. Not a bed could be had within twenty miles of the seat of action on Friday night. Very little preface is necessary with respect to the biography of the combatants--Cribb having been known as the best bit of man flesh nature ever cast in her mould, whose gluttony beggars description, who possesses a science inferior to none and courage superior to any. Molineaux fought this formidable champion a hard battle of thirty-nine rounds in fifty-five minutes a few months since; and victory in that combat was so long doubtful, that Molineaux was backed at even in the latter part of the fight. This was a most obstinate and sanguinary combat, the equal to which record can scarcely furnish.

Neither man weighed so much by nearly a stone as in the former combat; Cribb having fought this battle 13 stone 5 or 6 pounds, and Molineaux something more than 13 stone. The odds were 3 to 1 on Cribb, and 6 to 4 about first knockdown. The combatants mounted the stage at twelve o'clock, and at eighteen minutes past, (having viewed each other with significant glances) they prepared for combat. Gully and Joe Wood seconded Cribb and Richmond and Bill Gibbons honoured Molineaux by their aid.

The Set-to

Round 1--Sparring for one minute, when Cribb made play right and left. The right-handed blow fell slightly on the body of Molineaux, who returned slightly on the head. A rally followed, in which hard blows were exchanged, when Molineaux was knocked down by a blow on the throat. The blow was not at length to do much execution, and the knockdown was not clean. Betting as at setting-to.

continued below

 

Round 2--Cribb showed first blood from the mouth at setting to. A dreadful rally, by mutual consent was commenced, and Cribb put in a good body hit with his right hand when Molineaux returned it on the head with the left flush. Each fought at half-arm for superiority, and hits, about six, were exchanged with force. Closing followed, when Cribb was thrown in a trial of strength---5 to 2 on Cribb.
Round 3--Cribb's right eye was nearly closed in the last rally and another here followed of a sanguinary nature. Cribb put in a dreadful doubler in the body of Molineaux, but although he was hit away, he kept his feet and renewed the rally with fury. Cribb bled profusely and was damaged in both eyes. The rally lasted a minute and a half and in a close Cribb was thrown in a long fall.
Round 4--Cribb's head was much disfigured, and Molineaux's wind was treacherous. The former bled from every organ, but he smiled, renewed the rally with heroism unexcelled, and hits in abundance were exchanged, Cribb with fighting at the body-mark with his right hand, and Molineaux at the head. Cribb fell from a slight hit and manifested the first weakness. 7 to 4 on Cribb.
Round 5--Rallying was renewed by Molineaux, and the execution on both sides was terrific. Molineaux had the best of the rally, and Cribb fell from a blow.
Round 6--Molineaux, fatigued by want of wind, bounced right and left, but he was avoided and he made a good stop of Cribb's right hand. Cribb put in a destructive right-handed blow to the body-mark, which doubled Molineaux up, who got away piteously distressed. He appeared frantic at renewing a rally, anxious to go in, but alarmed at the consequences, and no dancing master ever cut capers more amusing. He hit short and abroad. Cribb followed him about the stage, and did astonishing execution, and floored him with a blow at great length. This round brought the odds to 5 to 1 on Cribb.
Round 7--Molineaux ran in on a rally intemperately, and did some execution, but Cribb hit him several blows as violent as can be figured about the neck and jugular, and after a rally of one minute, Molineaux fell from hurts and weakness.
Round 8--Molineaux, in the forlorn hope, again rallied at ill-judged distance, and after Cribb had again nobbed him, he got his head under the left arm, and ribbed until Molineaux fell--No takers at odds.

The battle may here be considered as terminated. In the next round, Cribb broke his antogonist's jaw and at the close of the 11th round, Molineaux being unable to stand, victory was announced in a Scot's reel by Gully and Cribb, accompanied by shouts of applause.

Remarks--The assemblage gave mutual applause to the combatants during the fight, which lasted 19 minutes and 10 seconds. Molineaux has acquired science equal to Cribb, and it would not be too much to denominate him as good an infighter. He is quick and heavy, particularly with the left hand; and generally when Cribb hit him in the body with a right hand, he returned it with the left on the head; but Cribb's game was never equalled, he having been a good deal punished on the head alone.

It has been a matter of surprise to many of the amateurs that Molineaux should have been beat so quick, when he so obstinately contested a battle of thrice the duration of this so recently. The only inference to be drawn is that Cribb was full of flesh in that combat, and far from being in good condition. Molineaux certainly has not the stamina he had, but he has acquired the necessary science of boxing. His intemperance gave his antagonist his mode of punishing, in which Cribb excels all others--that in hitting with his left hand, when followed quickly.

The four rounds following the first were contested with that sort of furious desperation, on both sides, which has never been equalled. Cribb's hits were insupportable to the hardiest frame.

Molineaux was carried out of the ring senseless and speechless, and is constantly attended by a surgeon. He has suffered most about the left side, and the jugular vein; but he is considered out of danger.

 

This assumes of course, that you are not destined to, "go below". :fire

 

You better be joking on this one or you just proved you literally have no concept of history.