BoxRec

Hey guys I am curious to know who you think is the best Pre Marques of Queensbury HW out of this list...

I am some what ignorant on this era and would like to know what each mans strengths and weaknesses are from those who are more authoritive on this subject.

Jem Belcher-5'11, 182lb, UK
Benjamin Brain-5'10, 196lb, UK (Awesome Name !!)
Jack Broughton - 5'11, 200lb, UK
James Burke - 5'8, 178lb, UK
Tom Cribb - 5'10, 199lb, UK
James Figg - 6', 185lb, UK
John Jackson - 5'11, 202lb, UK
Tom Johnson - 5'10, 202lb, UK
Tom King - 6'2, 175lb, UK
Tom Molineaux - 5'9, 198lb, USA
John Morrissey - 5'11, 175lb, Ireland
Henry Pearce - 5'9, 175lb, UK
Tom Spring - 5'11, 186lb, UK
Jem Ward - 5'10, 175lb, UK

To name a few I am sure.

Thanks again...

Kym

Of all the men you listed there, personally the top two on my list is Tom Cribb and Tom Mulineaux.

James Figg, I wish I knew more about, but never found much on him other than he reigned for almost 2 decades in England and later opened a school of boxing, wrestling and fencing. I'd have to place him number three on the list, based solely on his reign, but then again it could be a matter of that he reigned so long because of exhibition bouts, like Jem Mace done in later years.

Tom Cribb at no 1, Tom Molyneux at no 2. The turn of the 19th century was probably the high point of the bare knuckle era, guys like Cribb, Belcher and Molyneux were exceptional atheletes and fighters. Cribb has to be the daddy, he only lost once and that was in the 48th round when p1ssed as a newt. That said, there were some shenanigans in his first fight with Molyneux - crowd interference - that may have cost Molyneux the win. From memory, Molyneux was not at his best in the second fight either, ill.
By the middle of the century, fighting in the UK was at a nadir, and the best exponents such as Jem Mace and Tom Allen went over to the States and won versions of the American title. I believe the earlier era was better, and for that reason I rate Cribb as number 1