Stories of Greatness - JAMES FIGG the father of boxing
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- James Figg was born in Thame, Oxfordshire in 1684.
He was the last of the great stage gladiators, and the first person ever to be publically acclaimed as champion of all England.
He set up his own fighting arena where he fought, where he promoted other fights, and where he trained gentlemen of quality and others who wanted to learn the noble science of defence.
A friend of the famous artist Hogarth, he is featured in many of his paintings. H lived to the age of 50 and is buried in Marylebone. The churchyard is now underneath the playground of a local school.
His fighting record was 271 wins, 1 loss (avenged)
To get your hands on some Stories of Greatness merch take a look here: shop.spreadshi...
Awwww yeeees! My favourite youtube series is back, baby!
Very happy to oblige!
Thank you. Great story. I felt like I was transported in time! The history of British fighting is fascinating.
Nicely detailed and carefully presented. We Figgs are proud.
Great video. I think if you think Figg was a boxer or not, basically comes down to how much you trust various sources, though you might have something I've not seen, so I'll wait until then to go into any detail.
How boxing came back is an interesting one, it's hard to find much information. Some people think it never really went away, otherwise it was probably some sort of Greek revival. Escudo is currently working on a book with information on boxing in Rus earlier on, and there are some references in Italy from atleast around the early 1700's IIRC (as well as the Gondolier). Encyclopedia Britannica claims the Royal Theatre was putting on boxing shows in the late 1600's, but I've never found anything to back that up.
There is so much loose information out there, collating it is the hard bit. I'll see if I can at least put together the evidence I have to back up my point of view. That being said it all depends on what you consider boxing really.
@@antiantifa886 I'm not sure I buy the idea that it all stemmed from Greece. My guess would be that they just had the best records. Humans have been trying to hurt each other in inventive ways for as long as they have existed.
@@antiantifa886 There's evidence of boxing in some bronze age artwork, and I think one of Homer's stories is the first writing of boxing. However around when boxing was either revived or came out of obscurity in England there was interest in Greek and Roman stuff, and it was probably based on that. Boxing was banned by Theodosius late in the Western Roman empire. But some have suggested games like the Olympics continued after they were banned, and it's unlikely it disappeared right away. It's also possible it continued throughout the middleages and we don't have record for it. I think there's hardly any record of the mob football matches, IIRC the first is them being banned. Of course going from that to continuity is a bit of a leap.
@@EnglishMartialArts It's an interesting topic. I might make a quick case the other way, to let people have something to chew on in the comments. It doesn't help that the meaning of a lot of words have changed since then too, and there's a real lack of early information. Like even later on there was a lot of adverts for boxing, before there was many actual reports on results. Even later on, stuff like Meggs supposed fight with Millsom and Millsom's with Juchau which are included in the lineage, I've never found reports for (though there's an advert for Millsom fighting Meggs, but in 1763). I don't know of any source for it other than Pancratia and ones taking it from that, but there's probably a ton I've not seen.
@@EnglishMartialArts "Boxing" is hitting a guy with your fists, right? I mean in its most basic, primitive form..that's boxing!
James f'ing Figg has now been included in the stories of greatness. All is right with the world.
Though this does betray my complete and embarrassing lack of knowledge of the man, as I know him entirely as a 'boxer', which is apparently in dispute.
I did have one slightly tangential question: in the video you mentioned how Figg would set up 'exhibitions' as well as actual bouts. Looking through the early history of boxing, a lot of the fighters did travelling exhibitions as well (Heavyweight Champion James J Colbert viewed 'boxing exhibitions' as his greatest source of income). What exactly did these exhibitions entail, and how were they different from what we would consider a 'normal' match?
That sounds like another video for the list!
It's all even more hardcore considering Boxing back in the day was basically Vale Tudo!
I would've loved to see those battles involving multiple weapons and unarmed combat. I'm sure it would've been quite a spectacle and something you won't see ever in todays world
Absolutely, I think the closest we've come in recent years was early MMA, but even that wasn't really a patch on Figg's days.
He is BACK!
You can't get rid of me that easily! :)
AWESOME! Thank you very much Oz. Great stuff. Hope the training is getting better fella.
Thank you! It's a slow process, but I think it's improving.
One of my favourite people on UA-cam. Your stuff is great.
Thank you! That's made my day.
here,here,wonderfull knowledge of the sweet science
Ah, me from Bermondsey again. Bermondsey is in Southwark. There is an interesting video. If I find I'll type what it is called and if interested you can put in YT and see. It's about prize fighting in Bermondsey in the early 1900's .......
COMMING IN NOW👍THANKS FOR THE LATEST VIDEO ✌
Yay!
Dear Sir, I am a direct decendant of James Figg. Go ahead and check it out, I am JUST as ugly and will back down from nobody nor will I submit. I would rather die...but we will NOT stop until we die, or live. I am fighting for my life now due to some rare illiness. I have always liked a staff myself - didn't know about the rest. But I bet he was a friggin asshole! My Dad was, and so am I. Jay Walter Figg
JUST GOT TO WATCH YOUR VIDEO AGAIN👍WOULD LIKE SEND BOOK TO YOU( A PICTORIAL HISTORY OF BOXING)FOR YOU TO CHECK OUT! AND IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KEEP IT? YOU CAN SIGN IT AND SEND IT BACK👊DON'T KNOW IF IT'S COOL TO SIGN ANOTHER PUBLISHERS BOOK?
James Figg - Id not fuck with him! Ned Sutton either...
I thought boxing dated back to Ancient Greece at the sporting competitions that they held. Maybe you mentioned this in your or he was the father of modern boxing. Although, I’m not completely up and up on this subject to be honest.
Theres a large gap in our knowlwedge of boxing through the ages, and little evidence to suggest there is any unbroken lineage to the ancients.
But even so, you are right that he is the father of modern boxing, whatever the term used.
It already funny when see the surname of the founder of boxing in england Figg. Figs are know to help with with cleaning the system, which is one one for saying knocking the shit out of someone
JUST WOKE UP( 1:30AM HERE) AND CAN'T GET NEW STORY TO COME IN😡WILL TRY AGAIN BEFORE WORK 👊
That's not good! What's the problem?
I'm happy to see you again my great friend, cheers :)
Ahmed! Good to see you!
You. Are. The. Fucking. Man. Oz!
IN THE "PICTORIAL HISTORY OF BOXING "THATS THE PICTURE IN BOOK (OF FIGG)👊
Figg basically bullrushed Sutton. As the great Pierce Egan described the fighter in his 1812 Boxiana as "more indebted to strength and courage for his success in the battlefield than to the effects of genius"
I'm not sure I buy Egan's description. He was writing some 100 years after the fact, and there is a common theme in boxing writers that describes everything that came before as clumsy and less skilful than that which we have now. It's clearly not true. Barring modern nutriton and biometric monitoring there is little to suggest modern fighters are significantly more capable than those who came before.
@@EnglishMartialArts I believe Figg was 'better' in some ways (his ways) than many fighters I had privilege to watch live in this day and age. Things that he was able to do I'll consider as extraordinary in all of history.
@@isuckatthisgame I always ask myself how good a fighter had to be to win a title when there wasn't even really a sport, never mind a title.
praize for james figg, a true fighter
There is a fight every weekend out side James figg previously Abingdon arms , the greyhound,great video mate .
I should come and commentate! 🤣
very cool story - I wonder if you could make one of these about older wrestling masters too, like Ott, Lew or Auerswald.
keep going Oz - your story make my day everytime. cu in Dijon hopefully.
cheers
h.
Thanks Harry! I wish I knew enough about those guys to do this kind of thing. Maybe I should learn!
@@EnglishMartialArts would be cool - I would suggest to start with Auerswald - I guess about him you will find the most informations and his wrestling style is quite universal. He also deals with a wrestling game where one is standing in a tiny shallow pit (which he is not allowed to leave) with one foot and the other one is only allowed to touch the ground with one foot. Goal is it to force either the guy out of the pit or let the other guy touch the ground with anything else than this one foot. very funny game. :) it is called "Ringen im Grüblein" (wrestling in the tiny pit)
Stories of greatness returns! This triathlon style of fighting truly displayed the fortitude possessed by both Sutton, and Figg. To think also, that either fighter had to win all three of their fights, thus displaying their prowess (whilst also mitigating the role played by luck) unequivocally.
In the video, it is somewhat implied that what Figg did later on (promoting many different types of bouts) was uncommon. How uncommon were these types of fights? It seems like Figg did what the Romans before had made popular with the Colosseum, namely adding variety in their fights.
Also, a suggestion for the Stories of Greatness videos only, perhaps cut the panning and zoom editing off from when the camera is focused on you? Or lessen the effect of it. It is quite nice for when pictures are up on the screen (With the voice in the background, it really has a "documentary" feel to it), but it seemed very jarring otherwise, when you were telling the story directly.
Many thanks for video, it is great!
I'll add your question to the list of videos to make!
"this annoyed Fig, quite a lot."
I only noticed that when I was editing!
I'd lay off on the 3D graphics mate, or at least scale them back. They're a little obnoxious. Great story by the way.
I assume you mean the intro?
@@EnglishMartialArts That's exactly what I'm talking about. The initial graphic of the unicorn is good, it's immediately going into a second graphic afterwards that becomes a bit garish. Something like a black screen with the episode title in white, that fades to the actual footage might be a more elegant solution.
@@thusspakevespasian5587 Fair enough, thanks for the feedback!
@@EnglishMartialArts My pleasure.
I was expecting him to be in a smoking jacket and holding a pipe.
Still plenty of episodes to film yet!
this is the best stuff you do man. more stories!
Thank you!
Awesome! James Figh was a badass but Ned Sutton was pretty good too. The way he moved and dodged Figg is a testament to how wrong the misconception that “Old time pugilists were streetfighters who didnt use footwork and just kept pummeling each other till one fell.”
Absolutely, it really annoys me when I hear that. It seems to me that whoever the person is they are talking about they are the oe who invented it. We know it's rubbish, Godfrey described Figg as having a peculiar way of stepping in with a parry. So the idea that he just stood there is clearly wrong.
EnglishMartialArts Hey mate thanks for responding. I wish you luck on your leg. When it heals hopefully youll teach us more of these footwork. From Daniel Mendoza’s sidesteps, Tom Spring’s famous harlequin steps, and Bendigo Thompson’s kicks.
Again mate, welcome back :)
As usual lad you have delivered another mighty as you came to scratch. This elderly gentlemen thanks you profusely. I shall ask but one boon; that you continue on producing more brilliant videos on subject of pugilism and Catch Wrestling. Kudos!
Being a swordsman definitely helped James Figg. I could envision him as the Bruce Lee of his era who most definitely lunged like a fencer with straight lead punches on bare knuckle bouts similar to Jeet Kune Do which surprised most of his opponents and if eye pokes were allowed, he may even have used a finger jab to the eyes or throat with the same ease.
As the saying goes: "The punch you don't see coming is the one that knocks you out."
The intro confused me since you mentioned a report of a boxing match in the early 16th hundreds. I thought pugilism was first before boxing and/or boxing came much later with the advent of gloves.
Th terms were pretty much used interchangeably. It is only in modern times that we've tried to differentiate between early boxing and late boxing by calling the early stuff "pugilism".
@@EnglishMartialArts Thank you for your kind response Sir.
@@EnglishMartialArts I found great info with this - The terms pugilism and prizefighting in modern usage are practically synonymous with boxing, although the first term indicates the ancient origins of the sport in its derivation from the Latin pugil, “a boxer,” related to the Latin pugnus, “fist,” and derived in turn from the Greek pyx, “with clenched fist.” The term prizefighting emphasizes pursuit of the sport for monetary gain, which began in England in the 17th century.
Thanks for sharing this piece of history, I came here because while playing "who wants to be a millionaire" the game unlocked a special card, which is James Figg, and you can use him to answer questions related to sport LOL.
Greetings from Chile!
Saw the title but still heard “James Vick” after I set my phone down and was like WTF 😂
Hello could you tell me the exact location in London where Figgs Academy was situated i need this for a boxing tour.
About two ago i was working for Thames water on as grab driver
And it was break and watched this video in my cab and the penny dropped and i realized i was in the place were the pub was were he boxed
It did make my day
Yay new one!!!!!
Every time someone says they like these it genuinely makes me grin like an idiot!
@@EnglishMartialArts I have had an intrest older boxing since I watched "unforgivable blackness the rise and fall of jack johnson" it is just facinating stuff to me.
@@BeeF82002 Jack Johnson is a fascinating character. Someone with the strength of will to rewrite the rules simply because they didn't suit him.
❤️ I live in Thame
My boy says you remind him of his karate master
Is it you?
Thank you for your scholarship.
I haven't done karate in 20 years, so sadly not me. :)
Awesome video I love learning about different things keep up the amazing work
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.
Brilliant channel i dare saying. Splendid indeed. A great historical insight on the art of boxing. Your narration abilities are superb sir. Keep them coming.
Thank you!
1684 and you go for Beethoven? My days.
Mozart actually, but I accept that that actually makes it worse... It's more about the feel than the authenticity (honest).
If I'd had any brains at all I'd have gone for the Halleluja chorus. Right time period and also slightly self deprecating...
@@EnglishMartialArts to be fair, its the most baroque sounding of the Mozart's. still Handel, Bach, Vivaldi. (Viv would actually be perfect, 1718ish for seasons, even if i cant personally stand Vivaldi).
@@EnglishMartialArts Got to love a bit of Handel. Zadok would have worked as well
@@wierdalien1 I am a little afraid to admit that my choice was heavily influenced by what was available for free :D
Another great presentation! Love these stories of the olde fighters and the accomplishments they earned
Very happy you like it!
Great stufff
It's at least this video and the Daniel Mendoza pt3 video. Also... I can no longer see my original comment and your response. Weirdness.
Ok that is weird. Lets hope it's just a glitch with UA-cam and resolves itself.
@@EnglishMartialArts It does seem to have resolved itself. I don't really know how UA-cam works on the creator's end so, I'm sorry if I started you doing a bunch of unnecessary stuff to work on something that was UA-cam's problem.
One more thing, though... while I'm "talking" to you, I'd like to repeat something I said in a comment several months ago: I'd really love to watch one of your movie fight scene breakdown videos about Atomic Blonde.
Partially just because I like those videos. Partially, I want your take on it because the fight choreographers and stunt coordinators made such a big deal in interviews about how realistically they portrayed the way a woman would have to fight when her opponents are men.
That was a really great presentation. Thanks.
Thank you!
Wonderful little video.
Figg was a beast!
Yeah, an amazing man.
@@EnglishMartialArts Is there any info on how Figg fought?
I've come across a few source's on his swordsman ship, but draw a bit of a blank on his fisty cuffs.
@@CJ-uf6xl almost nothing that I've found. There's even an argument that he never actually boxed. Look out for a video on that soon!
❤️
Why can't I see the comments?
No idea, is it just this video or all of then?
Wonderful!
Glad you like it!