Jack Broughton

John "Jack" Broughton, (c. 1703 – January 8 1789), was an English bare-knuckle fighter. He was the first person to ever codify a set of rules to be used in such contests; prior to this what "rules" there were were very loosely defined and tended to vary from contest to contest. His London Prize Ring rules are widely regarded as the foundation stone of the sport that would become boxing, and were by far the most widely used in pugilistic contests prior to the development of the Marquess of Queensberry rules in the 1860s.

Broughton was of obscure birth, he is varyingly described as being born in either London or Gloucestershire. He served his apprenticeship in the Port of London, initially working as a lighterman but eventually, in light of his physical prowess (Broughton was nearly 6 foot tall, a rarity in those days, and very muscular), working as a waterman rowing passengers on the River Thames. In 1730 he won a major annual race on the Thames against a number of other waterman who had recently finished their apprenticeships.

Throughout the 1730s Broughton fought semi-professionally and earned a sizable reputation. Although records of fights fought in this era are few there is no evidence that Broughton ever lost a fight, and, following his retirement, he certainly claimed to have been undefeated. Broughton's fights often attracted sizable audiences, so much so that on one occassion a spectator was crushed to death. Another of his fights served as the inspiration for Paul Whitehead's poem The Gymnasiad.

Broughton used the money he earned from fighting, along with help from a number of wealthy patrons, to open his own amphitheatre in 1743. It was at this time that he developed his code of rules, which he hoped would allow fighters a certain degree of protection (Broughton himself has killed an opponent in a fight). Aside from boxing, Broughton's amphitheatre also hosted such other violent spectacles as bear-baiting and fights using weapons. Following his retirement from boxing in 1744, Broughton devoted much of his time to running an academy for aspiring fighters.

In 1750 Broughton came out of retirement to settle a dispute, the details of which are unknown. Despite being far older than his opponent, Broughton entered the contest as the clear favourite. However, despite a strong start, the fight did not go his way and he suffed and embarassing loss (destroying the perfect record he claimed for himself). The amphitheatre eventually closed in 1754, but Broughton continued to teach young boxers until his death.

Aside from his career in boxing, Broughton also served in the Yeomen of the Guard (the bodyguard of the British monarch). As a member of whom he accompanied George II at the Battle of Dettingen, the last time British monarch fought in a battle.

Following his death in 1787, Broughton was interred at Westminster Abbey. His headstone did not bear an epitaph for over 200 years because Dean of the Abbey felt that the epitaph that Broughton had requested was inappropriate. It was not until 1988 that Broughton's request was fulfilled and the words "Champion of England" were engraved on the headstone.

Broughton was one of the original inductees of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, inducted as a pioneer of the sport.

Reference

• Hennell, Reginald (1904). The History of The King's Body Guard of the Yeoman of the Guard