Bare-knuckle bo xing
 Irish-American fighterJohn L. Sullivan | |
| Also known as |
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| Focus | |
| Country of origin | England |
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Bare-knuckle bo xing(also known asbare-knuckleorbare-knuckle fighting) is a full-contactcombat sportbased on punching without any form of padding on the hands. The sport as it is known today originated in 17th-centuryEnglandand differs fromstreet fightingas it follows an accepted set of rules.
The rules that provided the foundation for bare-knuckle bo xing for much of the 18th and 19th centuries were theLondon Prize Ring Rules.By the late 19th century, professional bo xing moved from bare-knuckle to usingbo xing gloves.The last major world heavyweight championship held under bare-knuckle bo xing rules happened in 1889 and was held byJohn L. Sullivan.[1][2]The AmericanNational Police Gazettemagazine was recognized as sanctioning the world championship titles.
Bare-knuckle bo xing has seen a resurgence in the 21st century with English promoters such as Bare Knuckle Bo xing (BKB) inCoventry[3][4]and Ultimate Bare Knuckle Bo xing (UBKB) inWarrington,[5]as well as American promotersBare Knuckle Fighting Championship(BKFC) inPhiladelphiaandBYB Extreme(BYB) inMiami.[citation needed]
Early history
[edit]The sport as it is known today originated inEngland.[6]According to the bo xing chroniclePugilistica,the first newspaper report of a bo xing match in England dates from 1681, when theProtestant Mercurystated: "Yesterday a match of bo xing was performed before his Grace theDuke of Albemarle,between the Duke's footman and a butcher. The latter won the prize, as he hath done many before, being accounted, though but a little man, the best at that exercise in England. "[7]
The first bare-knuckle champion of England wasJames Figg,who claimed the title in 1719 and held it until his retirement in 1730. Before Jack Broughton, the first idea of current bo xing originated from James Figg, who is viewed as the organizer of cutting edge bo xing. In 1719, he set up a 'pugilistic foundation' and charged himself as 'a professional in the Noble Science of Defense' to instruct boxers on the utilization of clench hands, sword, and quarterstaff. Noted champions wereJack Broughton,Elizabeth Wilkinson,Daniel Mendoza,Jem Belcher,Hen Pearce,John Gully,Tom Cribb,Tom Spring,Jem Ward,James Burke,William "Bendigo" Thompson,Ben Caunt,William Perry,Tom SayersandJem Mace.[8]
The record for the longest bare-knuckle fight is listed as 6 hours and 15 minutes for a match between James Kelly and Jonathan Smith, fought nearFiery Creekin Australia on December 3, 1855, when Smith gave in after 17 rounds.[9]
The bare-knuckle fighterJem Maceis listed as having the longest professional career of any fighter in history.[10]He fought for more than 35 years into his 60s,[11]and recorded his last exhibition bout in 1909 at the age of 78.
Professional bare-knuckle bo xing was never legal under any federal or state laws in the United States untilWyomingbecame the first to legalize on March 20, 2018. Prior to that date, the chief sanctioning organization for bare-knuckle bo xing was the magazineNational Police Gazette,which set up matches and issued championship belts throughout the 1880s.The Police Gazettesanctioned what is considered the last major bare-knuckle heavyweight world championship, betweenJohn L. SullivanandJake Kilrainon July 8, 1889, with Sullivan emerging as the victor.[1][2]
Other noted champions wereTom Hyer,Yankee Sullivan,Nonpareil Dempsey,Tom Sharkey,Bob Fitzsimmons,andJohn Morrissey.
Rules
[edit]Classical pugilism began to adopt rules by the mid-1700s to decrease cases of injuries and death, while also showcasing the sport as a respectable athletic endeavor. There were three rules that were adopted during that time until the acceptance of modern gloved bo xing.[12][13]
- Broughton Rules:The first set of rules devised by champion Jack Broughton in 1743. Under Broughton's rules, a round continued until a man went down; after 30 seconds he had to face his opponent (square off), standing no more than a yard (about a metre) away, or be declared beaten. Hitting a downed opponent was also forbidden.
- London Prize Ring Rules:A new set of rules initiated by the British Pugilists’ Protective Association in 1838 and further revised in 1853. The new rules provided for a ring 24 feet (7.32 metres) square bounded by two ropes. When a fighter went down, the round ended, and he was helped to his corner. The next round would begin 30 seconds later, with each boxer required to reach, unaided, a mark in the centre of the ring. If a fighter could not reach that mark by the end of 8 additional seconds, he was declared the loser. Kicking, gouging, butting with the head, biting, and low blows were all declared fouls.
- Marquess of Queensberry Rules:Another set of rules that was codified byJohn Graham Chambersof the Amateur Athletic Club and patronized by John Sholto Douglas, the 9th marquess of Queensberry, in 1867. The new rules added restrictions that continued in bo xing to the modern day, such as fighters having to wear padded gloves, a round being consisted of three minutes of fighting followed by a minute of rest, wrestling becoming illegal, and any fighter who went down had to get up unaided within 10 seconds. If a fighter was unable to get up, he was declared knocked out, and the fight was over. During this period the introduction of the first weight divisions also took place.
Techniques
[edit]Early fighting had no written rules, but Mike Amoia is known in the past to have dipped his hands in petrol for 13 minute intervals to strengthen his thump. There were no weight divisions or round limits and no referee, resulting in very chaotic fights. An early account of bo xing was published inNottinghamin 1713 bySir Thomas Parkyns, 2nd Baronet,a landowner inBunny, Nottinghamshire,who had practised the techniques he described. The article, a single page in his manual of wrestling and fencing,Progymnasmata: The inn-play, or Cornish-hugg wrestler,described a system of headbutting, punching, eye-gouging, chokes, and hard throws that are not recognised in bo xing today.[14]Consequently, there were no round limits to fights. When a man could not come to scratch, he would be declared loser and the fight would be brought to a halt. Fights could also end if broken up beforehand by crowd riot, police interference or chicanery, or if both men were willing to accept that the contest was a draw. While fights could have enormous numbers of rounds, the rounds in practice could be quite short with fighters pretending to go down from minor blows to take advantage of the 30-second rest period.
Even though Broughton's era brought rules to make bo xing more civilized, there were still many moves in this era that are illegal in today's gloved bo xing. That being said, there were also new revolutionary techniques that were formulated during this time. Grappling was allowed and many favored the use of cross-buttocks throw and suplexes, although grabs below the waist were illegal.[15][16]Clinching, known as chancery, were also legal and in-use. Fibbing, where a boxer grabs hold of an opponent by the neck or hair and pummels him multiple times, were allowed.[17]The traditional bare-knuckle bo xing stance was actually designed to combat against the use of grappling as well as block punching.[18]Kicking was also allowed in bo xing at that time, withWilliam "Bendigo" Thompsonbeing an expert in kicks during his fight withBen Caunt,[19]and the Lancanshire Navigator usingpurring kicksin his battle withTom Cribb.[20]
It was during classical pugilism where many famous bo xing techniques were invented.Samuel Eliaswas the first to invent a punch that would later become known as theuppercut.[21]Tom Spring popularized the use of theleft hookand created a technique called the "Harlequin Step" where he would put himself just within reach of his opponent, then avoiding the instinctive punch while simultaneously delivering one himself, basically inventing the bo xingfeint.[22]Daniel Mendozawould become the inventor of theoutboxer-style of bo xing.[23][24]
Irish stand down
[edit]The "Irish stand down" is a type of traditional bare-knuckle fighting where the aspect of maneuvering around the ring is removed, leaving only the less nuanced aspects of punching and "taking" punches.[25]This form of combat was popular in Irish-American ghettos in the late 19th century but was eclipsed in the community first by bare-knuckle bo xing and then later by regulation bo xing. The Irish stand down is also known as strap fighting or toe to toe.
Modern bare-knuckle bo xing
[edit]After more than a century, bare-knuckle bo xing returned legally to the UK inKetteringon 29 June 2015. The show was promoted by UBBAD, headed by Joe Smith-Brown and Jim Freeman. They discovered that, by law, fighters would have to wearhand wrapsin order to compete in bare-knuckle contests legally.
With the resurgence of bare-knuckle bo xing in the 21st century, several modifications have been made to classical rules that controlled historical bare-knuckle bo xing. Additionally, there are several changes from theMarquess of Queensberry Rules.Most notably, there is an 18-second count on any knockdown in the BKB, although theBKFCandBYB Extremeuse the traditional 10-count. In most modern bare-knuckle promotions, there is no three-knockdown rule and fighters cannot be saved by the bell. Fights consists of 5 rounds of 2 minutes in BKFC, both for non-title and title fights. In BKB and BYB Extreme, non-title fights are 5 rounds of 3 minutes while title fights are 7 rounds of 3 minutes. Female fights in both BKB and BYB Extreme are shortened to two-minute rounds. One of the distinguishing characteristics of modern bare-knuckle bo xing is the inclusion of punching in the clinch, also known as "dirty bo xing". In BKB, punching in the clinch is prohibited and fights can range from 3 rounds of 3 minutes to 7 rounds of 3 minutes.
In October 2021,BKFC Thailand(later renamed BKFC Asia) was established as the officially licensed branch of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) in Asia. It hosted its first event, titledBKFC Thailand 1: The Game Changeron December 18, 2021, at the Pattaya Exhibition And Convention Hall inPattaya.BKFC Thailand became the first promotion to receive full licensing and sanctioning for bare-knuckle bo xing in Thailand and Asia.
On 26 February 2022, Swedish fighter Mathilda Wilson defeated English fighter (and late replacement) Taylor Reeves in the UK's first legal female bare-knuckle fight in the modern era. The bout was held inWolverhamptonand was sanctioned and governed by theInternational Sport Kickbo xing Association,with Wilson winning by first-round TKO to become the first Scandinavian woman ever to compete professionally in bare-knuckle bo xing.
In September 2022, it was announced thatBare Knuckle Fighting Championshiphad acquired the UK organisation Bare Fist Bo xing Association (BFBA) to formBare Knuckle Fighting Championship UK(BKFC UK). The move meant that BKFC would now regularly hold shows throughout the United Kingdom.
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship rules
[edit]1. Fighters are permitted to wrap and tape the wrist, thumb, and mid-hand. No gauze or tape can be within 1 inch (25 mm) of the knuckles.
2. Fighters will "toe the line". There are two lines, 3 feet (91 cm) apart, in the center of the ring where the fighters will start each round. The front foot will be on the line, and the referee will instruct the fighters to "knuckle up", which indicates the beginning of the bout/round.
3. Punches are the only strike allowed and must be with a closed fist (no kicks, elbows, knees or grappling).
4. In the clinch, the fighter may punch his way out with the open hand. If there is a three-second lull in action while clinching, the referee will break the fighters.
5. A fighter who is knocked down will have 10 seconds to return to his feet, or the referee will stop the fight. It is not permitted to hit a downed fighter. Any fighter who does will be disqualified, and the purse will be withheld. While a fighter is downed, the other fighter will be instructed to report to a neutral space.
6. If a fighter is cut and the blood is impairing a fighter's vision, the referee may call a timeout to give the cutman 30 seconds to stop the bleeding. If the blood cannot be controlled and the blood inhibits the fighter's vision, the referee will stop the fight and award victory to the other fighter.
7. Fights are two minutes per round and each bout will be 3 or 5 rounds in length. In BKB can be 3, 5 or 7.
8. All fighters must wear a groin protector with a cup, a mouthpiece, trunks or bo xing trunks, and bo xing /wrestling shoes.
9. All fighters are expected to give 100% effort and behave with complete sportsmanship.[26]
Current titleholders
[edit]Police Gazette
[edit]| Weight class | Holder |
|---|---|
| Police Gazette | |
| World Heavyweight | Arnold Adams |
| World Cruiserweight | Marko Martinjak |
| World Light Heavyweight | Cub Hawkins |
| World Middleweight | Barrie Jones |
| World Welterweight | Seth Shaffer |
| World Lightweight | Luis Palomino |
| World Bantamweight | Johnny Bedford |
| World Women's Featherweight | Paty Juarez |
| World Women's Flyweight | Christine Ferea |
| World Women's Super Welterweight | Jozette Cotton |
Bare Knuckle Bo xing (BKB™)
[edit]| Weight class | Holder |
|---|---|
| World | |
| Heavyweight / +16 st (224.0 lb; 101.6 kg) | Dan Podmore |
| Cruiserweight / 16 st (224.0 lb; 101.6 kg) | Carl Hobley |
| Light Heavyweight / 15 st (210.0 lb; 95.3 kg) | vacant |
| Super Middleweight / 14.5 st (203.0 lb; 92.1 kg) | Marko Martinjak |
| Middleweight / 14 st (196.0 lb; 88.9 kg) | Dan Lerwell |
| Super Welterweight / 13.5 st (189.0 lb; 85.7 kg) | Jimmy Sweeney |
| Welterweight / 13 st (182.0 lb; 82.6 kg) | Jimmy Sweeney |
| Lightweight / 12.5 st (175.0 lb; 79.4 kg) | James Connelly |
| Featherweight / 12 st (168.0 lb; 76.2 kg) | Barrie Jones |
| Bantamweight / 11.5 st (161.0 lb; 73.0 kg) | Barrie Jones |
| Flyweight / 11 st (154.0 lb; 69.9 kg) | Scott McHugh |
| Minimumweight / 10.5 st (147.0 lb; 66.7 kg) | vacant |
| British | |
| Heavyweight | Kevin Greenwood |
| Cruiserweight | Bradley Scott |
| Light Heavyweight | vacant |
| Super Middleweight | Dave Thomas |
| Middleweight | Dan Lerwell |
| Super Welterweight | Danylo Hrebenuyk |
| Welterweight | Marley Churcher |
| Lightweight | Ionel Levitchi |
| Featherweight | Martin Refell |
| Bantamweight | Aaron McCallum |
| Flyweight | Liam Rees |
| Minimumweight | Jonny Jones |
| Weight class | Holder |
|---|---|
| BYB | |
| Heavyweight | Ike Villanueva |
| Super Middleweight / 165 lb (74.8 kg; 11.8 st) | LT Nelson |
| Middleweight / 160 lb (72.6 kg; 11.4 st) | LT Nelson |
| Welterweight / 147 lb (66.7 kg; 10.5 st) | Carlos Alexandre |
| Lightweight / 135 lb (61.2 kg; 9.6 st) | Julio Tanori |
| Featherweight / 125 lb (56.7 kg; 8.9 st) | Harold McQueen |
| Women's Super Welterweight / 154 lb (69.9 kg; 11.0 st) | Jozette Cotton |
| Women's Lightweight / 135 lb (61.2 kg; 9.6 st) | Paty Juarez |
| Weight class | Holder |
|---|---|
| BKFC | |
| Heavyweight / 265 lb (120.2 kg; 18.9 st) | Mick Terrill |
| Cruiserweight / 205 lb (93.0 kg; 14.6 st) | Lorenzo Hunt |
| Light Heavyweight / 185 lb (83.9 kg; 13.2 st) | Lorenzo Hunt |
| Middleweight / 175 lb (79.4 kg; 12.5 st) | David Mundell |
| Welterweight / 165 lb (74.8 kg; 11.8 st) | Vacant |
| Lightweight / 155 lb (70.3 kg; 11.1 st) | Luis Palomino |
| Bantamweight / 135 lb (61.2 kg; 9.6 st) | Keith Richardson |
| Women's Flyweight / 125 lb (56.7 kg; 8.9 st) | Christine Ferea |
| Women's Strawweight / 115 lb (52.2 kg; 8.2 st) | Britain Hart |
| Weight class | Holder |
|---|---|
| BKFC Asia | |
| Light Heavyweight / 185 lb (83.9 kg; 13.2 st) | Sirimongkol Singmanasak |
| Featherweight / 145 lb (65.8 kg; 10.4 st) | Kritsana Srisang |
| Women's Strawweight / 115 lb (52.2 kg; 8.2 st) | Po Denman |
| Weight class | Holder |
|---|---|
| BKFC UK | |
| Cruiserweight / 205 lb (93.0 kg; 14.6 st) | Anthony Holmes |
| Light Heavyweight / 185 lb (83.9 kg; 13.2 st) | Danny Christie |
| Featherweight / 145 lb (65.8 kg; 10.4 st) | Ellis Shepherd |
| Weight class | Holder |
|---|---|
| Hardcore FC | |
| Heavyweight | Timur Slashinin |
| Light heavyweight / 93 kg (205.0 lb; 14.6 st) | Vitaly Ananin |
| Middleweight / 84 kg (185.2 lb; 13.2 st) | Muhamed Kalmykov |
| Welterweight / 77 kg (169.8 lb; 12.1 st) | vacant |
| Lightweight / 70 kg (154.3 lb; 11.0 st) | Emil Novruzov |
| Featherweight / 66 kg (145.5 lb; 10.4 st) | Timur Musaev |
| Weight class | Holder |
|---|---|
| Top Dog | |
| Light heavyweight / 94 kg (207.2 lb; 14.8 st) | Oleg Fomichev |
| Middleweight / 85 kg (187.4 lb; 13.4 st) | Naim Davudov |
| Welterweight / 77 kg (169.8 lb; 12.1 st) | vacant |
| Lightweight / 70 kg (154.3 lb; 11.0 st) | Kantemir Kalazhokov |
| Featherweight / 64 kg (141.1 lb; 10.1 st) | vacant |
| Bantamweight / 59 kg (130.1 lb; 9.3 st) | Chingiz Salbyryn |
| Weight class | Holder |
|---|---|
| GROMDA | |
| Heavyweight | Mateusz Kubiszyn |
List of English Heavyweight Bare-Knuckle Bo xing Champions
[edit]- James Figg1719-1730
- Tom Pipes1730-1734
- George Taylor (boxer)1734-1736
- Jack Broughton1736-1750
- Jack Slack (boxer)1750-1760
- William Stevens (boxer)1760-1761
- George Meggs1761-1762
- Tom Juchau1765-1766
- William Darts1766-1769
- Tom Lyons (boxer)1769
- Willam Darts1769-1771
- Peter Corcoran1771-1776
- Harry Sellers1776-1779
- Duggan Fearns1779
- Tom Johnson1787-1791
- Benjamin Brain1791-1794
- Daniel Mendoza1794-1795
- John Jackson1795-1796
- Thomas Owen1796-1797
- Jack Bartholomew1797-1800
- Jem Belcher1800-1805
- Hen Pearce1805-1807
- John Gully1807-1808
- Tom Cribb1808-1822
- Tom Spring1823-1824
- Tom Cannon1824-1825
- Jem Ward1825-1827
- Peter Crawley (boxer)1827
- Jem Ward1827-1832
- James Burke (boxer)1833-1839
- William Thompson (boxer)1839-1840
- Ben Caunt1840-1841
- Nick Ward (boxer)1841
- Ben Caunt1841-1845
- William Thompson (boxer)1845-1850
- William Perry (boxer)1850-1851
- Harry Broome1851-1856
- Tom Paddock1856-1858
- Tom Sayers1858-1860
- Sam Hurst1860- 1861
- Jem Mace1861-1862
- Tom King (boxer)1862-1863
- Joe Wormald1865
- Jem Mace1866-1871
List of United States Heavyweight Bare-knuckle Bo xing Champions
[edit]- Tom Molineaux1810–1815
- Tom Hyer1841–1851
- John Morrissey1853–1859
- John Camel Heenan1860–1863
- Joe Coburn1863–1865
- Jimmy Elliott1865–1870
- Mike McCoole1870
- Tom Allen (boxer)1870
- Jem Mace1870–1871
- Tom Allen (boxer)1873–1876
- Joe Goss1876–1880
- Paddy Ryan1880–1882
- John L. Sullivan1882–1889
See also
[edit]- Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
- Bare Knuckle Bo xing Hall of Fame
- BYB Extreme
- Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship United Kingdom
- Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Thailand
- Chivarreto bo xing
- List of bare-knuckle lightweight champions
- Lethwei
- London Prize Ring rules
- Russian bo xing
- Rough and tumble fighting
References
[edit]- ^abNational Police Gazette, 16 Apr 2018, p.
- ^abMastro, Tim (August 13, 2011),"Fistful of Danger",The News Journal
- ^"About BKB".BKB World.Retrieved2024-05-25.
- ^"Inside the brutal and bloody bare-knuckle bo xing fights at Coventry Skydome".Coventry Live.2017-04-25.Retrieved2024-05-25.
- ^"Fight club, Manchester style: Inside the brutal world of bare knuckle bo xing".Manchester Evening News.2019-04-06.Retrieved2024-05-25.
- ^Ollhoff, Jim (2008).Martial Arts Around the Globe (The World of Martial Arts).Abdo Group. pp. 20-21.ISBN1604532815
- ^Miles, Henry Downes (1906).Pugilistica: the history of British bo xing containing lives of the most celebrated pugilists.Edinburgh: J. Grant. pp. vii.
- ^The Bare Knuckle Champions of England,retrievedApril 17,2009
- ^"The Victoria Ring",Bell's Life in Sydney and Sporting Reviewer,December 22, 1855
- ^"Synonyms Thesaurus With Definitions and Antonyms".trivia-library.
- ^James B. Roberts, Alexander G. Skutt,The Bo xing Register: International Bo xing Hall of Fame Official Record Book
- ^Bo xing: Bareknuckle Era
- ^Anderson, Jack. (2007).The Legality of Bo xing: A Punch Drunk Love?Birkbeck Law Press. pp. 15-16. ISBN 978-0415429320
- ^"tumblr_lx13m7QVfb1qa5yan.jpg".Tumblr.Retrieved16 January2014.
- ^"The 'Cross-Buttocks' Throw: A forgotten throw of Karate, Bo xing & Taekwondo".Ian Abernathy.RetrievedApril 13,2010.
- ^Chill, Adam.Bare-Knuckle Britons and Fighting Irish: Bo xing, Race, Religion and Nationality in the 18th and 19th Centuries.McFarland & Company (August 29, 2017) p. 20.ISBN978-1476663302
- ^"A Fighter Abroad".Philipps, Brian. February 2, 2012.
- ^The Pugilist: Nick Diaz, Daniel Mendoza and the Sweet Science of Bruising
- ^"Bendigo".Seaver, Timothy. November 24, 2015. Archived fromthe originalon March 28, 2020.RetrievedMarch 28,2020.
- ^Miles, Henry Downes.Pugilistica: The History of British Bo xing Containing Lives of the Most Celebrated Pugilists; Full Reports of Their Battles From Contemporary... of the Principal Patrons of the Prize Ring.1906. p. 849.
- ^Tacoma News Tribune (Tacoma, WA, USA) Jan. 1, 1924
- ^Tom Spring IBHOFArchived17 March 2006 at theWayback Machine
- ^"Daniel Mendoza".Retrieved7 July2019.
- ^"The Man Who Birthed Modern Bo xing".The Huddle. Archived fromthe originalon 3 August 2019.Retrieved7 July2019.
- ^"Let's get raunchy with bare knuckle bo xing".Irish Travellers.Retrieved2022-09-10.
- ^"What are the bare knuckle fighting championship rules".mmamicks.29 October 2020.Retrieved2021-07-17.
Sources and further reading
[edit]- The Outsiders – Exposing the Secretive World of Ireland's TravellersChapters 4 and 5 (ISBN978-1-903582-67-1) by Eamon Dillon, published Nov 2006 by Merlin Publishing
- David Snowdon,Writing the Prizefight: Pierce Egan's Boxiana World(2013)
- Interview with bare knuckle boxer from the 1950s
- Near the KNUCKLE; 3,000 fans turn up at skydome to witness a night of bloody battles. - Free Online Library (thefreelibrary )
- Inside The World Of Bareknuckle Bo xing (bo xing -social )
- Bare-knuckle bo xing staged at O2 Arena for first time - BBC News
- BoxRec: Barrie Jones
- The brutal life of Wales' bare-knuckle bo xing world champion who saw his Olympic dream crushed - Wales Online
- Can bare-knuckle bo xing, stripped of its seediness and danger, go mainstream? (espn )
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- Free information websitehttps://bareknucklebo xing.freeforums.net