By David Martinez / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com

As I take you back in time, James Figg, in my estimation, was the first recognized heavyweight boxing champion and was the first to teach and promote boxing at a high level 자동차 주차 다운로드.

Born in 1695, in Thame, Oxfordshire, England, Figg was also an expert swordsman and fought with weapons including swords, quarterstaffs, and cudgels before attaining stardom in his bare knuckle championship boxing reign 다운로드.

By 1719, Figg defeated all challengers; and as those early years passed, he defeated top opponents Timothy Buck, Tom Stokes, Bill Flanders, and Chris Clarkson 다운로드. He also had a string of epic bouts with Edward Sutton, inclulding one in 1725 when Figg suffered his only career defeat.

Figg established a boxing academy in London which is now known as the Tottenham Court Road 다운로드. There he taught boxing skills and the combative techniques in using weapons.

Figg established his own amphitheatre in Oxford Road, a London arena which staged boxing matches 국문 이력서 양식. There he popularized sparring as public entertainment and also offered fencing exhibitions.

Figg also made public appearances at London’s Southwark Fair, Hyde Park, and other outdoor venues where he would take on all comers.

In 1730, Figg gave up fighting and retired, but still stayed active by engaging in a few exhibition bouts with a future heavyweight champion, Jack Broughton. George Taylor claimed the title upon Figg’s retirement, and would later lose the crown to Broughton in 1738.

In June 1731, Figg began teaching at new location on Poland Street with his prize student, Thomas Sibblis, taking over the Oxford Road Amphitheatre.

Figg died on December 8, 1734. He was recognized as a very famous person in London, with royalty, aristocrats, politicians, writers, artists, and actors attending his fights.

Figg was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1954, the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992, and the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame in 2010. In his honor, a blue plaque was erected at The James Figg Pub (formerly The Greyhound Inn), Cornmarket, Thame, on April 14, 2011.

James Figg may be forgotten by all boxing fans of the present day, but historians, such as myself, truly recognize him and the early bare knuckle fighters that laid the foundation of boxing as we know it today.