James Figg The First Champion

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by gregluland, Aug 18, 2015.

  1. AkiSaki

    AkiSaki New Member Full Member

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  2. AkiSaki

    AkiSaki New Member Full Member

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    Keleneki and roughdiamond like this.
  3. roughdiamond

    roughdiamond Ridin' the rails... Full Member

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    Amazing thread. Bump.
     
  4. Dempsey1238

    Dempsey1238 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Sullivan in his prime was in great shape, once he had the title, fame and money yeah he hardly train at all.
     
  5. AkiSaki

    AkiSaki New Member Full Member

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    Here's a channel I found where the guy is going through the techniques/styles of old boxing manuals:
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    Happy viewing.
     
  6. AkiSaki

    AkiSaki New Member Full Member

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    Here's a video that covers the run up to the Figg era and what was on display.
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    and this short
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    Enjoy
     
  7. GlaukosTheHammer

    GlaukosTheHammer Boxing Addict Full Member

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    He is the only champion I know of who resigned and named successors who fought for honors we ignore today.

    I'm not real sure why James gets so much extra added to him. his story is pretty human in all reality
     
  8. AkiSaki

    AkiSaki New Member Full Member

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    It's not easy finding techniques that Figg would have used but his student Jack Broughton is mentioned as having hit Jack Slack (his famous Peg blow to Slack's mark ((straight to the solar Plexus?)), and a blow to the side of the head that drops Slack:
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    although in this version of the same fight by the same youtuber he says it's a blow to the throat that drops him (I love the high elbow guard by Slack):

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    I've found a video below of someone showing a throat attack supposedly used by Broughton, we have to take his word that it's a Broughton move, but if it is it could have been something he was taught by Figg:

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    and here is Mark Hatmaker talking about the build-up to a Broughton technique but who knows although Mark has been writing on fighting for a while and should know his stuff.
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    Figg:
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    book mentioned is here:
    https://archive.org/details/fightsforchampio01hennuoft/page/n11/mode/2up

    There was a gypsy fighter in Britain called Bartley Gorman, just to get an idea of how bare knuckle might have differed in striking style, here's some punches he used. I guess hitting into the armpit could disrupt the blood flow, l arteries which I think run under the armpit from coming down from the neck:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYfFdSEarAI
    Anyway, enjoy and happy researching.
     
    Last edited: Oct 2, 2025 at 4:39 AM
  9. InMemoryofJakeLamotta

    InMemoryofJakeLamotta I have defeated the great Seamus Full Member

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    James Figg KO 1 Prime Evander Holyfield
     
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  10. AkiSaki

    AkiSaki New Member Full Member

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    Love Holyfield, the real deal. Figg was a different era, also Holyfield would have had to box, fence and stick-fight during their bouts.
    Good luck with that, but whatever...hats off to Holyfield.
     
    Last edited: Oct 2, 2025 at 1:44 PM
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