James Belcher: Difference between revisions

In his youth he became known for his pugilistic-pugilistic—and and other- featsother—feats at Lansdown fair. Belcher was a natural fighter, described as "elegant" in style, whose skills were less due to instruction than his own ability. He was considered good-humoured, finely proportioned, and well-looking. He came to London in 1798 and sparred with Bill Warr, a veteran boxer, of [[Covent Garden]], who concluded that Belcher was "a match for any man in the kingdom".<ref name="Age 31">''[[The Age]]''. [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19310418&id=tjRVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GZUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7158,3564447 "More Prize Ring Personalities: 'The Napoleon of the Ring'"]. 18 April 1931, p. 8. Retrieved on 15 June 2013.</ref> On 12 April 1799, after a fight of thirty-three minutes, he beat Tom Jones of Paddington at [[Wormwood Scrubbs]].

He drew with champion [[Jack Bartholomew (boxer)|Jack Bartholomew]] in a 51-round bout in 1799, but in the following year, on 18 May 1800, on [[Finchley Common]], the 19-year-old Belcher, after seventeen rounds, knocked out the 37-year-old Bartholomew with a 'terrific' body blow to win the rematch and become champion.

On 22 December 1800, near Abershaw's gibbet on [[Wimbledon Common]], he fought Andrew Gamble, the Irish champion. Four days before the fight, Belcher said that he was attacked by four thugs in [[Chelsea, London|Chelsea]], whom he proceeded to beat up without getting harmed himself.<ref>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/3232581954/in/album-72157616043429682/ Jem Belcher from Bristol]</ref> It was suspected that someone sent those men so he would be unable to fight the high stakes match, but since he couldn't provide evidence the fight still went underway. Belcher defeated Gamble shockingly in only five rounds, Gamble being utterly confounded by his opponent's quickness. After this victory Belcher seems to have been acclaimed as English Prizefighting Champion. On 25 November 1801 he met Joe Berks of Wem, and defeated him after sixteen rounds of desperate fighting. He fought him again on 20 August 1802, and Berks retired at the end of the 14th round, by which time he could scarcely stand and was badly cut about the face. In April 1803 he severely punished John Firby, 'the young ruffian,' in a hastily arranged encounter. Next month he had to appear before [[Edward Law, 1st Baron Ellenborough|Lord Ellenborough]] in the court of king's bench for rioting and fighting, and was defended by Erskine and Francis Const.<ref name="DNB">{{cite DNBSupp|wstitle=Belcher, James}}</ref>

In July 1803 Belcher lost an eye when playing raquetball. He never could really overcome the loss of his eye so his friends bought him the pub "Jolly Brewers" on [[Wardour Street]], where he put on sparring expeditionsexhibitions and met and inspired Henry Pearce, a young boxer of which he became his manager.<ref name="okaybliss.com">[https://www.okaybliss.com/jem-belcher-death/ How did Jem Belcher die? His tragic death detailed]</ref> It became apparent that he would be Belcher's succussor to the title Champion of England. In 1805, Belcher returned to the ring as he refused to give up his title without a fight. Belcher invited Pearce to London, hoping to keep the championship in Bristol's hands, The two men had a tough fight at a common in [[Blyth, Nottinghamshire|Blyth]], a coaching stop seven miles north of [[Retford]], [[Nottinghamshire]] on the [[Great North Road (Great Britain)|Great North Road]] on 6 December 1805. Belcher chose the venue on a coin toss, deciding to site it 150 miles north of London so that the police did not disrupt the fight.<ref>E. Dipple, The Sportsman's Magazine of Life in London and the Country, Volume 1 (1845)</ref> The crowd were adorned with handkerchiefs of blue birdseye in support of "the Chicken", and the "famous yellow-striped 'Belcher'". Here Belcher displayed all his old vigour and punching speed, but lacked power, and was impaired by his damaged vision in ascertaining range; he was defeated in 18 rounds.<ref name="Age 31"/> HenryPearce never fought again and died from Tuberculosistuberculosis in 1809. <ref>[https://www. name="okaybliss.com"/jem-belcher-death/ How did Jem Belcher die? His tragic death detailed]</ref>

Belcher died on 30 July 1811 at the Coach and Horses, [[Frith Street]], Soho, which he left to his widow, and was buried at Marylebone. By“By the consequence of his various battles,” stated the ''[[Gentleman's Magazine]]'', aided“aided by great irregularity of living, he had reduced himself to a most pitiable situation for the last eighteen months, and came to suffer the effects of his lifestyle.”<ref name="DNB"/> Put more plainly, he died from alcoholism.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.okaybliss.com/jem-belcher-death/ | title=How did Jem Belcher die? His tragic death detailed | date=25 July 2022 }}</ref>

*[https://archive.org/details/pugilisticahisto01mileuoft/page/132/mode/1up Chapter on Jem Belcher in ''Pugilistica, the History of British Boxing'' volume 1, 1906, Henry Downes Miles]

[[Category:BritishEnglish disabled sportspeople]]