18th Century Boxing/References to the sport in old newspapers

1760-05-17 The Newcastle Courant (page 1)
LONDON, May 8.

We hear that the Nailer, the noted Bruiser, flushed with the Success he has already obtained, has, at the Request of some Gentlemen, sent a formal Challenge to Mr. Slack, now settled at Bristol, to meet and fight for any Sum.


1760-05-31 London Evening Post (page 3)
Yesterday, at the Tennis-Court near the Haymarket, after three bye Battles (one of which those versed in the Science deemed a remarkable good one) the Heroes, Slack and Stevens the Nailor, mounted the Stage; On their first Appearance, the Odds were twenty to one on Slack's Head; but in three Minutes the Nailor proved Conqueror, to the great Disappointment and Loss of the not Knowing Ones. This Battle, it is thought, may occasion, if the Civil Power permit, two more; one between the Heroes themselvea, and the other between their Seconds.


1760-06-03 The Leedes Intelligencer (page 2)
LONDON, May 29.

The Heroes of the Fist are likely to come into Play again. Hero Slack is matched for a considerable Sum against Stevenson the Nailer, to fight on Monday next at the Tennis-Court in James-street, near the Hay-market. If the latter should hit the right Nail on the Head, that no Doubt will occasion a second Trial of Skill, in which Butcher must come off victorious; This will be productive of a third Combat; the Event of which none knows, except those in the Secret.


1760-06-06 The Derby Mercury (page 1)
LONDON, June 5.

on Monday the famous Battle was fought between Slack and Stephens, the Nailer, at the Tennis-Court in James-Street, Haymarket, at which were present several Noblemen and Persons of Distinction. The Combatants had only three Bouts; in the first Slack struck his Antagonist a violent Blow on the Side of his Head; at the second, Stephens hit Slack under the short Ribs, and gave him a desperate Fall; and finally pursuing his Advantage, gave him so dreadful a Blow on his Stomach, that he lay for some Time senseless on the Stage, and was obliged, after about three Minutes and a half Contest, to submit to the superior Strength of his Adversary. The Streets were crowded with Spectators to see the Combatants pass and repass.

We hear that upwards of 10,000l. has been won and lost by the last Battle between Slack and the Nailer.

It is said that Slack very kindly advised the Nailer to make his Will, and get his Coffin ready, for he had but a short Time to live. Great Men like others are sometimes mistaken.

 

1761-04-28 The Whitehall Evening-Post Or London Intelligencer (page 1)
On Tuesday there was a great Bruising Match in Marybon Bason, between a noted Drover and a Soldier, for 20l. which was strongly contested for twenty Minutes, but was terminated in Favour of the Drover.

Yesterday a pitched Battle was fought in Catherine-Wheel-Yard, St. James's, between two Beggars; the one a white Man, lame of one Leg, who wears a Crutch; the other a Black, with two Wooden Legs. After a Bout or two, they found the Crutch, and the Black unscrewed his Legs, and down they squatted. The Conflict was long and sharp; but at length the African proving too strong for the European, the latter was obliged to give up. After the Battle they shook Hands, and a Congress was appointed at a neighbouring Alehouse, where all Disputes were amicably adjusted.

 

1767-04-23 - 1767-04-25 The London Chronicle
One day last week a pretty severe boxing match was fought near Lambeth, between the celebrated Broughton and a Farmer. Victory for some time hovered on either side; but at length the superior skill of the veteran prevailed, and the countryman was obliged to yield. The battle lasted near fifteen minutes.

 

1768-07-22 Lloyd's Evening Post (page 7)
Sunday se'nnight died Mr. Slack, Butcher, at Bristol; many years famous as a great Bruiser, and particularly for beating Mr. Broughton, of London.

 

From what I can gather, a footman was effectively a body guard back then. He would have to be able to ride a horse, shoot a pistol, and probably be handy with his fists. Some of them developed expensive tastes, and became highwaymen to support their expensive lifestyles!

 

Should be noted that this bout makes championship lineage as it was known last 200+ years, irrelevant. Slack lost his championship claim in this bout, not in his bout with Stevens in 1760.

 

The lineage was broken multiple times anyway, so it'd only be irrelevant until it was reestablished.

There are other possibilities, that he avenged it and won back the title, or that it was just a leg injury meant people considered him still the champion anyway.

Looking at CBZ I notice Taylor retired soon after, so it wouldn't be the only time someone reclaimed the title after the person that beat them retired. It is interesting though that CBZ also says after he came back, he lost to
Tom Faulkner who claimed the championship of England after doing so. Interestingly I saw a random newspaper from 1922 that stated the lineage as Jack Slack, then George Taylor, then Slack again.

Anyway interesting find that possibly deserves its own thread and some digging, but I don't think you can be too hasty to jump to conclusions.

 

Derby Mercury - Friday 15 May 1752
Yesterday Slack beat Falkner, after an Engagement of 27 Minutes. It was allowed by the Spectator to be the greatest Battle that was ever fought and though the Odds before setting too were three to one on Slack, yet during the Battle, the Betts came about two to one on Falkner. Two Minutes before it was ended, it was generally thought that the next fall would determine the Victory, and they were both so weak, that they could hardly lift up their Arms to strike a Blow, but a Fall ensuing from their closing, Falkner was the undermost, which determin'd his Fate; and his Conqueror, when attempted to be lifted off from the vanquish'd Hero, Flipt out of the out of the Second's Arms, and lay on the Stage as flat as his Antagonist, and they were both obliged ti be carried off the Stage, The Seconds were George Taylor, and Tom-Boy; the former to Falkner, and the latter to Slack.

 

The early lineage, post-Broughton, as it has been generally recognized for two centuries, was first introduced in Pancratia, as far as I can tell. Two books, describing most prominent boxers, dated 1788 (The Complete Art of Boxing, &c., name of author is unknown) and 1790 (Boxing Reviewed or, the Science of Manual Defence, by Thomas Fewtrell), don't mention the sequence of events like Oxberry did in Pancratia. They also contain no mention of several names whom the author of Pancratia considered champions, and the authors of these books were much closer in time to that era. I suppose Oxberry (or whoever the actual author of Pancratia was) based his lineage the best he could based on clippings and/or secondary sources he had. Pancratia never mentions any other bouts between Taylor and Slack, beside the one that took place shortly before Slack defeated Broughton, obviously, because it wasn't aware of such bout or bouts. It also wasn't aware that Slack had had a number of bouts in the 1740s.

 

I notice Pancratia is on archive.org is anyone wants to read it.

https://archive.org/stream/pancratiaorahis00unkngoog

 

I think a lot of the Figg stuff is Godfrey's writings too, though I'm not sure how directly. I don't think it gave any sort of lineage etc. IIRC it called Broughton the best boxer, but I don't think it even seemed to have the concept of an actual champion.

I think the Figg-Broughton era in general is far more murky than generally presented.

 

1747-12-18 The Derby Mercury (page 4)
LONDON.
Yesterday another terrible Battle was fought between Taylor and Slack, in which the former came off Conqueror with great Difficulty.

 

1749-02-03 The Derby Mercury (page 2)
LONDON, February 1.
Yesterday the Boxing-Match between Taylor the Barber and Slack the Butcher, was fought at Broughton's, and was as severe a one as ever was known ; they fought twenty-six Minutes, when Slack was defeated. There was present the greatest Number of Nobility ever known on such Occasions.

 

1752-02-07 The Derby Mercury (page 4)
LONDON, February 11.
Yesterday Slack defeated the Chairman at Broughton's Amphitheatre in about three Minutes, in the Presence of a dignified and crowded Audience. Just before the Heroes mounted the Stage, there was an Alarm given, the Gallery was falling down, which put the Spectators into the greatest Confusion.


1752-02-14 The Derby Mercury (page 2)
LONDON, February 13.
On Monday, when Slack the Butcher fought Lea the Chairman, there was such a Crowd, that it was computed there was 150 l. in the House; such is the Encouragement given to the Gentlemen of that Polite Art, besides a considerable Reward, flung by the Gentlemen of Taste, to their ingenious Pupils, who exhibit before their Masters mount, which often prevents some of them from picking of Pockets for some Days afterwards.