Jack Broughton

[1] John Broughton was born c. 1703 to unknown parents, possibly in London, though one early-20th-century history of boxing claims that he was a farmer's son from Baunton, Gloucestershire.

On 1 August 1730, Broughton won the annual Doggett's Coat and Badge rowing race among watermen who had completed their apprenticeship within the previous year.

[2][3] Broughton opened an amphitheatre in Oxford Road and began staging fights on 13 March 1743, when, for an entrance fee of a shilling or less, patrons were able to watch a display of boxing between several competitors.

[4] Broughton envisaged a venue in which boxing matches as well as fights with weapons such as short swords, quarterstaffs, and cudgels would only take place between skilled combatants, although he also hosted bouts of animal blood sport, including bear-baiting.

[10] Some historians credit Broughton as the inventor of boxing gloves because of his use of mufflers, though their use in professional bouts would not become widespread until the late 19th century.

[2] In December 1768, Broughton was involved in hiring ruffians to be sent to Brentford on behalf of Sir William Beauchamp-Proctor, who was standing for parliament.

He was interred at Westminster Abbey and requested to have the epitaph "Champion of England" carved on his headstone, but the dean of the church objected, and left a blank space.