boxer born january bare fighter referred involvement generally seen coincided renewed interest sport strong man success largely attributed technical abilities calm approach opponents johnson outside ring considered acquaintances easy mark thought earned money sport fighter nearly century later johnson fight probably took place june unintentionally wagon driver professional fighter challenged johnson fight matter honour beaten resulting match johnson success encouraged sport professionally june declared champion england world uncertain later years fight career time ended acted second prominent fighters ran public house dissipation outside ring appears resulted decision leave england ireland continued tutor eventually resorted gambling earn living died broken man physically financially johnson inducted pioneer category life boxing born early historian boxing states johnson born yorkshire birth fight career johnson moved london young age spent years working corn porter loading unloading sacks corn wharf near old swan stairs upper thames street strength exemplified period assistance gave fellow worker ill johnson carry sacks corn journey wharf grain warehouse usual single sack steep known labour vain hill gave extra money earned family sick man able return work background 18th century early 18th century england took forms referred noted boxing champion noble science defence middle century term generally denote boxing fights appeal time compared historian says patriotic writers sports british claiming reflected courageous robust nation pride regarded humane fair practice presented terms symbol national courage worth placed individual honour french argued like free people relied authorities resolve disputes contrast british dealt problems straightforward manner according established rules fair play legal standpoint ran risk classified assemblies practice authorities mainly concerned number criminals quoted saying fights supporters common patronage aristocracy wealthy ensured legal scrutiny generally particular fights place private estates patronage explains london centre sport people wealth tended city winter months summer dispersed country estates johnson rising prominence increased support sport interest shown later king brothers future king duke kent renewed interest followed period large corruption form fixing fights celebrated boxing champion gone way defining rules based earlier work johnson time rules interpreted loosely style fighting different modern boxing contestants stood facing feet line raised level present day stance generally having foot slightly fist leading strength primary factor success knock downs frequent consequence instability inherent positioning fighters feet rounds timed instead lasted man knocked fighters permitted wrestle ground moving ring known shifting explicitly prohibited rules fight going ground hit lead claims man standing won fighters usually provided umpire choice independent umpire present career fighter early period johnson probably began fighting june age thirty suggests slightly earlier johnson unintentionally horse drawn wagon driver fighter called called johnson fight matter honour johnson battered experienced lock fields came attention professional fighters time johnson intention earning living sport professional known fight arranged march common johnson beat pulp minutes decided professional success followed victory professional june fight took place thousands people time stated minutes johnson subsequently declared champion challenged contemporary near contemporary accounts regard title champion mean writing listed johnson fourteenth world heavyweight champion time johnson victory holder title champion disputed previous holder disappeared man beaten win title fight lasted seconds alleged fixed died johnson fight beat butcher january contest lasted minutes offered prize beat following month place final fight johnson early period stake money relatively low comprehensive win fighter called prize kingston fight lasted minutes ended badly beaten johnson barely scratch fight attract supporters sport took place june period wealthy away london consolidation johnson developed exceptional fighter rarity day brain strength barrel man weighed pounds height variously stated range known pressure took time opponent strengths weaknesses technique retreat fight avoided risk careful expose attack guard described writer explained worked round antagonist way peculiar adversary find intent frequently thrown guard johnson gained important advantages meant fights usually short duration certain outcome having exhausted london took professional january manner victory occasion scarcely worthy called fight according resort shifting falling ground order stay contest tactics regarded attracted crowd survived minutes choice blow johnson caused run ring despite second hiatus johnson boxing career followed coming forward irish champion took interest fight december saw gentleman boxer acting johnson second bottle holder ryan favourite win fight johnson rails ring blow head minutes second stepped prevent second strike enraged crowd believed ryan continue hitting johnson fell ground encouraged ryan declare victor consequence foul refused wanted win means allowed johnson recover space minutes lost bout financial security nature fight ryan led anticipated match february stake prize money johnson title champion acted johnson second man called jackson bottle holder fight consisted round mutually displayed skill johnson brutal passion described set finest witnessed science displayed general admiration second round terrible description science forgotten appeared like ryan received knock blow battle sustained sides time ryan passion getting better began lose ground ryan head eyes appearance johnson severely punished minutes ryan gave fight spectator corn factor time employed johnson impressed pleased betting johnson settled gift life fighter proposed bout later year known came bristol moving london fight seen strong potential challenger having won fights provinces won known fighting man called prize money set ill withdraw deposit later fighters birmingham area issued series challenges opponents based london intended demonstrate level organisation confidence birmingham supporters challenges accepted including described knock issued general challenge offering fight man england prize having beaten counties birmingham johnson fight took place october billed battle birmingham london english championship venue intended race meeting permission obtained men age physically different stood tall weighed pounds claimed lifted pounds iron ease universally allowed possess skill excellent acknowledged courageous physical later described fight hercules form boy minutes competition saw man strike blow tried contact johnson return recovered hold upper hand rounds johnson began dance ring forcing follow order fight time career johnson found necessary resort tactic shifting confused contrary custom time rules particular fight prevent specify happen contestant fell ground johnson order avoid hit action thought spectators permitted long fighters showed signs opponent attacks johnson suffering cut eyes damage faces fight end head scarcely traces left human according history boxing contest lasted rounds took total minutes complete totally exhausted said overwhelming physical advantages owing clause inserted articles agreement prevent shifting inexperienced sport found adversary supporters heavily reputation advantage size event major supporter johnson gained won equivalent favour johnson gifted victor event recorded gentleman magazine month great boxing match took place johnson turf stage erected foot inches high feet square combatants set afternoon rounds fair hard fighting victory declared favour johnson exactly minutes number persons family fortune interested brutal conquest astonishing proper add paid diversion contestants received johnson receiving thirds entrance costs receiving net number spectators variously stated johnson called left guinea buy drink leaving fight proved hardest brilliant encounters took place ring copper medals struck commemorate contestants contained picture respective fighter reverse latin inscription quotation translated wars horrible wars words strength case science johnson speculated produced employers says bear similarities work french die maker called supplying firm industrial items holds pictures fight published fight challenged johnson recovered previous illness won fight birmingham day johnson victory subsequently drawn round contest known claimed ridiculous match took place annals duke hamilton supplied stake fight johnson contest prize held kent thought held property worth end earned equivalent including money earned betting johnson rely friends provide stake spent money gambling man easy mark attracting people took money commented dissipation personal life odds cautious calculated approach prize ring johnson clear favourite win match took place january attracted spectators present fight second bottle holder roles filled brutality initial fighting shared men johnson nerve failed command techniques served describes fought like wild man throwing caution wind broke middle finger momentum created throwing wild punch caused crash ring rail floor turning point describes situation beaten useless eyes closed blood chance turning tide lucky punch refuses surrender resort shifting eventually wrestling hair generated crowd eventually forced johnson floor beat unconscious johnson lost fight status champion minutes speculated johnson change style evident outset fight genuine concern abilities gambling problems way miserable falling altogether wrote johnson nearest boxer come matching skill thought earned money reign champion fighter century later modern historian sport summarised early boxing writers agreeing period johnson reign champion rescued declining sport heralded beginning golden age life boxing johnson acted second fighters period rise fall performed duty tailor july march having previously fighter called savage taken fields november acted twice fights january ankle slippery surface controversy reporting caused second captain brown johnson johnson responded threatening punch brown johnson switched fighters september contest near similarly acted second fought february tom jones occasions acted second include near june april park date unknown defeat bought ran public house duke street lincoln london retired time received proceeds financial collection supporters enable buy licence operate premises today fighter merely tomorrow waiting review sporting prints titled old new lamented passing style discipline prize fighting goal successful sporting public house generally streets house command trade sporting large room upstairs open night week saturday public conducted note soon known criminals probably lost johnson licence operate premises subsequently sought horse race meetings refusing pay lost instead challenging victor fight johnson moved dublin leave determined premises proving principles wished went tried earn living teaching boxing finding turned gambling according deterioration rapid health spirit broken died january aged johnson supporter jones bet win fight taught man called simpson went fight jones johnson brother boxing lost time prior spray fight perennial challenger championship
Tom Johnson (bareknuckle boxer)