James Figg
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
James Figg (February 1684 – 7 December 1734) was a British bare-knuckle boxer. He is universally recognized the first English bare-knuckle boxing champion, reigning from 1719 to 1730 or 1734. Figg was also a great fencer. He was born in Thame in Oxfordshire and fought his early prize fights there. In 1719 he started his own school and taught boxing, fencing, and quarterstaff. William Hogarth painted his portrait. Figg was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992.
