GYPSY JACK COOPER AND HIS BROTHER.
Bare knuckle fighting is an ancient gypsy and traveller tradition and many of today's
gypsy/traveller boxers come from a long line of bare knuckle fighters. Living a life
that can be challenging and tough, gypsy/travelling men had to look after themselves
from an early age. Probably the most famous of the old time 19 century gypsy
bare knuckle fighters was Gypsy Jack Cooper, who was transported to Australia.
he later won his freedom and was reported to have died in Tasmania aged 105,
which would have made him the longest lived fighter of all time!
BARE KNUCKLE FIGHTING was particularly popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries but early fighting was
crude, with no written rules to prevent kicking, gouging, grappling, biting, head-butting or blows below the belt. Weight divisions came in fairly early, using Lightweight, Middleweight and Heavyweight groupings. All men up to nine stone (126lbs) were classed as “Lightweight”, with a seven stone man being in the 6 stone.12lbs (96-98lbs) class of the lightweight division or league, and so on up the scale. In bare knuckle days, many bouts were taken on a give-or-take nil basis and if a man didn’t make the stipulated weight at first time of asking, he paid a forfeit. Nine stone up to ten stone was classified as “Middleweight”, and anyone over ten stone as “Heavyweight”. Many small men were classed as lightweights, and a fair few as middleweights, but heavyweights, especially in the United Kingdom, were very rare, a ten stone man being considered good enough to beat “Anyone in the world”.
There were no weight divisions or time limits on rounds and there were no referees as such, in the early days they were often called “Umpires” but they were always outside the ring!
The few rules that governed fights, called the London Prize Ring Rules, were drawn up in 1743 by heavyweight champion Jack Broughton in an attempt to help protect fighters in the ring. It’s believed Broughton wanted such regulations after one of his opponents died as a result of his fight-related injuries and they remained the only written rules for well over one hundred years.
A bare knuckle round was not necessarily timed, but usually ended when a fighter was knocked down. Once floored, the fighter had about 30 seconds before the fight restarted, no rest was allowed and fighters were instantly disqualified if they fell down from exhaustion. Broughton was also responsible for encouraging the use of ‘Mufflers’, a primitive form of padded gloves that at first were only used in training and exhibitions, but became the forerunners of modern gloves to protect the fighter's hands and the opponent's face.
In more recent times, Bartley Gorman was a very famous Gypsy boxer. Between the years of 1971 and 1992 he held the title of Bare Knuckle Champion of Great Britain and Ireland, but was often simply known as “King of the Gypsies”. Bartley witnessed first hand the violence of bare knuckle fights from an early age, but because it came instinctively to him, he became a natural successor to his fighting ancestors.
The unlicensed fight game still goes on today, and although it is not illegal, it can be seen as a rougher, more brutal side of the sport. Unlicensed boxing covers a wide range of fighters and fighting contests, but it doesn't mean that the fighters are taking part in anything illegal. Most matches are staged in leisure centres, nightclubs and halls, with gloves, referees, trainers and medics. However, some of the fights are not staged under strict conditions by many organisations. Unlicensed fights still go on today, but these contests are usually held under secrecy, away from the public.
crude, with no written rules to prevent kicking, gouging, grappling, biting, head-butting or blows below the belt. Weight divisions came in fairly early, using Lightweight, Middleweight and Heavyweight groupings. All men up to nine stone (126lbs) were classed as “Lightweight”, with a seven stone man being in the 6 stone.12lbs (96-98lbs) class of the lightweight division or league, and so on up the scale. In bare knuckle days, many bouts were taken on a give-or-take nil basis and if a man didn’t make the stipulated weight at first time of asking, he paid a forfeit. Nine stone up to ten stone was classified as “Middleweight”, and anyone over ten stone as “Heavyweight”. Many small men were classed as lightweights, and a fair few as middleweights, but heavyweights, especially in the United Kingdom, were very rare, a ten stone man being considered good enough to beat “Anyone in the world”.
There were no weight divisions or time limits on rounds and there were no referees as such, in the early days they were often called “Umpires” but they were always outside the ring!
The few rules that governed fights, called the London Prize Ring Rules, were drawn up in 1743 by heavyweight champion Jack Broughton in an attempt to help protect fighters in the ring. It’s believed Broughton wanted such regulations after one of his opponents died as a result of his fight-related injuries and they remained the only written rules for well over one hundred years.
A bare knuckle round was not necessarily timed, but usually ended when a fighter was knocked down. Once floored, the fighter had about 30 seconds before the fight restarted, no rest was allowed and fighters were instantly disqualified if they fell down from exhaustion. Broughton was also responsible for encouraging the use of ‘Mufflers’, a primitive form of padded gloves that at first were only used in training and exhibitions, but became the forerunners of modern gloves to protect the fighter's hands and the opponent's face.
In more recent times, Bartley Gorman was a very famous Gypsy boxer. Between the years of 1971 and 1992 he held the title of Bare Knuckle Champion of Great Britain and Ireland, but was often simply known as “King of the Gypsies”. Bartley witnessed first hand the violence of bare knuckle fights from an early age, but because it came instinctively to him, he became a natural successor to his fighting ancestors.
The unlicensed fight game still goes on today, and although it is not illegal, it can be seen as a rougher, more brutal side of the sport. Unlicensed boxing covers a wide range of fighters and fighting contests, but it doesn't mean that the fighters are taking part in anything illegal. Most matches are staged in leisure centres, nightclubs and halls, with gloves, referees, trainers and medics. However, some of the fights are not staged under strict conditions by many organisations. Unlicensed fights still go on today, but these contests are usually held under secrecy, away from the public.
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