James Figg
By the end of his career in the early 1730s, Figg had fought in front of European royalty, including George, Prince of Wales, and the future Holy Roman Emperor Francis I, as well as aristocrats, politicians, writers, artists, and actors, and was one of the better-known personages in London.
[1] Figg was also a fight promoter and hosted matches fought by both male and female combatants such as Thomas Allen, John Gretton, Bob Whitaker, and Elizabeth Wilkinson,[1] as well as bouts of animal blood sport, including bear-baiting and tiger-baiting.
[9] Though Figg posthumously gained a reputation as a boxing pioneer, he primarily fought with weapons such as short swords, quarterstaffs, and cudgels.
On 20 January 1725, Figg arranged a match between Venetian gondolier Alberto di Carni and English drover Bob Whitaker.
[18][19] On 6 June 1727, Figg defeated Sutton at the former's amphitheatre before an audience of approximately 1,000 spectators, including Prime Minister Robert Walpole, Poet Laureate Colley Cibber, and satirist Jonathan Swift.
[8] In October 1730, the Ipswich Journal reported: "the invincible Mr. James Figg fought at his Amphitheatre Mr. Holmes, an Irishman, who keeps an Inn at Yaul near Waterford in Ireland, and came into England on purpose to fight this English Champion".
[15] In December 1731, he also won a sword fight against John Sparks at the Little Theatre in Haymarket, which was attended by foreign dignitaries including the Duke of Lorraine and Count Kinsky.
[22][23][non-primary source needed] In June 1731, Figg began teaching at new premises in Poland Street, and his student Thomas Sibblis took over the Oxford Road amphitheatre.
[3] Royalty, aristocrats, politicians, writers, artists, and actors attended his fights,[8] and in autumn 1729, Figg was made gate-keeper to upper St James's Park by the Earl of Essex.
[30][3] Figg may also feature in A Midnight Modern Conversation,[16] though Hogarth captioned the picture: "Think not to find one meant resemblance there, we lash the Vices but the Persons spare".
