Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 1 (of 3) / Containing Lives of the Most Celebrated Pugilists; Full Reports of Their Battles from Contemporary Newspapers, With Authentic Portraits, Personal Anecdotes, and Sketches of the Principal Patrons of the Prize Ring, Forming a Complete History of the Ring from Fig and Broughton, 1719-40, to the Last Championship Battle Between King and Heenan, in December 1863

by Henry Downes Miles

Having decided that its most readable form would be that of a series of biographies of the principal boxers, in chronological order, so far as practicable, it was found convenient to group them in “Periods;” as each notable champion will be seen to have visibly impressed his style and characteristics on the period in which he and his imitators, antagonists or, as we may call it, “school” flourished in popular favour and success.

A glance at the “Lives of the Boxers” thus thrown into groups will explain this arrangement:—

VOLUME I.

[Period I.]—1719 to 1791.—From the Championship of Fig to the first appearance of Daniel Mendoza.

[Period II.]—1784 to 1798.—From Daniel Mendoza to the first battle of James Belcher.

[Period III.]—1798 to 1809.—From the Championship of Belcher to the appearance of Tom Cribb.

[Period IV.]—1805 to 1820.—From Cribb’s first battle to the Championship of Tom Spring.

⁂ To each period there is an Appendix containing notices and sketches of the minor professors of the ars pugnandi and of the light-weight boxers of the day.

VOLUME II.

Period V.—1820 to 1824.—From the Championship of Spring to his retirement from the Ring.