Greatest bareknuckle fighter of all time (head to head)

It could also be tha the new syle just was kryptonite for he old one. It may have been inferior over all but suited to beat the old one. Get what I mean?

 

Bartley Gorman

 

Dutch Sam, a light to middleweight of the early 1800's was described by Pearce Egan of Pugilistica fame to have probably been the greatest pound for pound bareknuckle fighter up to then as he beat lightweights, middleweights and heavyweights never losing a fight until he made the mistake of just one more fight after a four year lay off. Jack Randall, a few years later, unbeaten throughout his career and Dick Curtis another lightweight in the 1820's and also the unbeaten Nat Langham a middleweight in the 1850's would probably run Dutch Sam close. From the heavyweights Tom Sayers and Jem Mace's records would compare favourably with Belcher, Cribb and Pearce.

 

:happy Glad TOM SAYERS got a shout - he would've been my pick - a pound for pound miracle man :good

 

Tom Sayers, The Harry Greb of bareknuckle days of yore...
A tough ******* indeed!

 

Yeah the stories I've read on Sayers suggest he must have been something altogether different (and i used to drink in a pub where my favourite seat was right next to a scale size woodcutting of Tom :yep) - the only man to really beat him Nat Langham (I think) must have been hard as nails and an exceptionally skilled bareknuckler aswell - does anyone have anything on him because he must have been a seriously tough man too?

 

Langham only suffered one defeat and that was at the hands of a recognized top heavyweight Harry Orme and then it still took Orme 117 rounds to beat him. Recognized as best middleweight in the land after defeating Bill Ellis in 1843 defending it successfully on several occasions including against Tom Sayers to confirm his status as the undisputed middleweight king. His weakness was that he suffered from lung problems and after one more successful defence in 1853 he retired. In 1857 at 37 he fought his brother in law, the old heavyweight champ who was 43 to a 60 round draw over a family argument, shook hands afterwards and buried the hatchet. Not bad for a sick man!

 

when one considers the brutal nature of the game it reminds me of how today's mma fighters are treated. unlike modern boxers who if they lose are written off immediately, the bareknucklers were lauded if they fought well and showed bravery.

just a random point.

 

Based on my limited knowledge, I would have to consider all of the following:

Jackson, Sullivan, Figg, Mace, Broughton, Cribb, Mendoza, William Thompson, Belcher, Henry Pearce, Tom Sayers, Tom Johnson, John Jackson.

I need to study all in a lot more detail though. Bareknuckle boxing is a massive grey area for me.

 

I think I have the Chicken Game as the best. sickness did force him to retire unbeaten, but for that movement, he was the best fighter on the planet.

Not sure how he would have fair vs Sullivan or Mace. But win or lose, I pretty sure Pearce would have made it a great battle.

 

In answer to the original question I would still go along with Dutch Sam as the greatest pound for pound fighter across the bareknuckle era from 1719-1870 as he took on all weights and beat the lot. Everyone will have their own opinion but thats mine for what its worth.

 

Not really totally relevant, but here is a report on one of Jem Mace's fight, although Mace is very, very old by this time.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/15085617?searchTerm=jem mace herbert slade&searchLimits=