Boxiana

1976

Special Collections GV1121 E89 1976

London: Folio Society

There is evidence that boxing was around from at least 2700 BC and, along with wrestling and pankration, the sport became ‘one of the essential aspects of Greek athletic education’ (Swaddling). Until about 500 BC, boxers’ hands were wrapped in long leather thongs, with ‘gloves’ being developed in the 4th century BC. Boxing or bare-knuckle fighting, became popular in the 17th century and Pierce Egan’s, Boxiana, first published in 1813, tells the stories of famous boxers of his time. Egan (1772-1849), a journalist, includes the matches between Tom Cribb (1781-1848), an English fighter who became ‘World Champion’, and Tom Molineaux (1784-1818), an ex-slave from America. They fought twice, in 1810 and 1811, and Egan, who watched both fights, gives ‘blow by blow’ accounts in his work.