 His father Jacob Hyer also worked as a butcher, and briefly earned a living as a boxer, reportedly fighting an opponent named Tom Beasley in 1816 using the older Broughton rules of England in what is now considered the first official boxing match known to have been held in America.Tom's father broke his arm in the fight, and never boxed again.In his boxing prime, as seen at left, Tom Hyer had a huge chest, and long, muscular rangy arms with extremely wide shoulders, that gave him both strength and reach.