Thomas Molineaux (23 March 1784 – 4 August 1818), sometimes spelled Molyneaux or Molyneux, was an American bare-knuckle boxer and possibly a former slave. He spent much of his career in Great Britain and Ireland, where he had some notable successes. He arrived in England in 1809 and started his fighting career there in 1810. His two fights against

Tom Cribb Tom Cribb (8 July 1781 – 11 May 1848) was a world champion English bare-knuckle boxer of the 19th century. Cribb was born near Bristol but moved to London before starting professional fighting. He undertook a series of fights between 1805 and ...

, widely viewed as the Champion of England, brought Molineaux fame even though he lost both contests. The result of the first encounter was hotly contested, with accusations of a fix. The second, losing contest with Cribb, however, was undisputed. His prizefighting career ended in 1815. After a tour that took him to Scotland and Ireland, he died in Galway, Ireland in 1818, aged 34.

Early life

According to some of the chroniclers of 19th-century boxing, Molineaux was born into slavery in the State of

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

, USA in 1784. The most detailed account claims that he was born on a

plantation A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. Th ...

and that he took his surname from the owners' name. An earlier writer just states that he came from the United States of America. In one account he boxed with other slaves to entertain plantation owners and was granted his freedom and $500 after winning a fight on which the son of the plantation owner had staked $100,000. Another source claims he was in the service of the one time American ambassador to London,

William Pinkney William Pinkney (March 17, 1764February 25, 1822) was an American statesman and diplomat, and was appointed the seventh U.S. Attorney General by President James Madison. Biography William Pinkney was born in 1764 in Annapolis in the Province ...

. One of his biographers points out that while some of these accounts may be based on truth, they cannot be substantiated and may have been romanticised to some extent. After obtaining his freedom, Molineaux was reported to have moved to New York, where he was said to have been involved in "several battles" and had claimed the title "Champion of America". He subsequently emigrated to

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

where he expected to be able to earn money as a

prize fighter Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory auth ...

Career in Europe

Molineaux found his way to London in 1809 where he made contact with Bill Richmond, another ex-slave-turned-boxer who ran the pub the ''Horse and Dolphin'' in Leicester Square, London. Molineaux's first fight in England took place at

Tothill Fields Tothill Fields was an area of Westminster in the county of Middlesex that lay south of St James's Park on the north bank of the river Thames. One of its main features was the Tothill Fields Bridewell penitentiary. Between 1735 and 1752, it was t ...

, Westminster on 24 July 1810. According to one report, the match was preceded by

bull baiting Bull-baiting is a blood sport involving pitting a bull against dogs. History England Crowds in London during the Royal Entry of James VI and I in March 1604 were entertained by bull-baiting. During the time of Queen Anne, bull-baiting was p ...

. Molineaux won the fight, beating Jack Burrows of Bristol in front of a small crowd in 65 minutes. Bill Richmond seconded Molineaux for the fight and Tom Cribb seconded Burrows. Molineaux's second fight in England was against Tom Blake whose nickname was "Tom Tough". The fight took place at Epple Bay near Margate on August 21, 1810, the American ending up victorious after 8 rounds when Blake was knocked out by Molineaux. In this fight, the American was reported to have shown "great improvement in the science of pugilism". Tom Molyneux c1815 VA23Oct10

On 3 December 1810, having been trained by Bill Richmond, Molineaux fought

at Shenington Hollow in

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primaril ...

for the English title. According to the writer Pierce Egan, who was present, Molineaux stood at five foot eight and a quarter inches tall, and for this fight weighed "fourteen stone two" (). Egan wrote that few people, including Cribb, expected the fight to last very long; there was betting that Cribb would win in the first ten rounds. However, Molineaux proved a powerful and intelligent fighter and the two battered each other heavily. There was a disturbance in the 19th round as Molineaux and Cribb were locked in a wrestler's hold (legal under the rules of the time) so that neither could hit the other nor escape. The referee stood by, uncertain as to whether he should break the two apart, and the dissatisfied crowd pushed into the ring. In the confusion Molineaux hurt his left hand; Egan could not tell if it had been broken. There was also dispute over whether Cribb had managed to return to the line before the allowed 30 seconds had passed. If he had not, Molineaux would have won, but in the confusion the referee could not tell and the fight went on. After the 34th round Molineaux said he could not continue but his second persuaded him to return to the ring, where he was defeated in the 35th round. Two days after the fight, Richmond took Molineaux to the Stock Exchange in London where the boxer received an ovation and was presented with 45 guineas. On 21 May 1811, Molineaux took on William Rimmer, a 22 year old fighter from Lancashire. The bout took place at

Moulsey Hurst Moulsey Hurst is in West Molesey, Surrey on the south bank of the River Thames above Molesey Lock. It is one of England's oldest sporting venues and was used in the 18th and 19th centuries for cricket, prizefighting and other sports. This are ...

and Molineaux won after 21 rounds. A return fight with Tom Cribb took place on 28 September 1811 at Thistleton Gap in

Rutland Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire. Its greatest len ...

and was watched by 15,000 people. Egan, who was present, said that both fighters "weighed less by more than a stone", which means Molineaux weighed at most for this fight. As preparation for the bout, Cribb had undertaken extensive training under the guidance of Captain Barclay. Molineaux, though still hitting Cribb with great power, was out-fought; Cribb broke his jaw and finally knocked him out in the 11th round. After the fight Richmond and Molineaux parted. Molineaux fought 4 subsequent bouts, winning three and losing one. On 2 April 1813, Molineaux fought Jack Carter at Remington, Gloucestershire, the American winning after 25 rounds. After the fight, Molineaux went on tour, where he sparred in exhibition bouts. In 1813, he fought Abraham Denton at Derby, his opponent being described as a "country pugilist" with the stature of a giant. Molineaux won the contest. The tour took him to Scotland and on 27 May 1814, he took on a boxer named William Fuller at Bishopstorff, Paisley, Ayrshire. After 4 rounds of fighting the match was interrupted when the "sheriff of Renfrewshire, attended by constables, entered the ring, and put a stop to it". A rematch was staged at Auchineux, 12 miles from Glasgow on 31 May 1814. 2 rounds were fought there, lasting 68 minutes, Molineaux being awarded the contest. On 11 March 1815, Molineaux fought and lost to George Cooper at Corset Hill, Lanarkshire.

Post-boxing life

Molineaux's prizefighting career ended in 1815. However he continued to show his talents in sparring exhibitions. After his visit to Scotland, he toured Ireland where in 1817 he was reported to be in the northern part of the island. He suffered from

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, ...

. After a stint in a

debtors' prison A debtors' prison is a prison for people who are unable to pay debt. Until the mid-19th century, debtors' prisons (usually similar in form to locked workhouses) were a common way to deal with unpaid debt in Western Europe.Cory, Lucinda"A Histori ...

he became increasingly dependent on alcohol. He died penniless in the bandroom of the 77th Regiment in

Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

, on 4 August 1818."Molyneux, the pugilist, died at Galway, Ireland, on the 4th inst., in a room occupied by the band of the 77th regiment, where he had been maintained the last two months, and very humanely attended by three people of his colour": ''The Times'' (London, England), 18 August 1818, p. 3. He was 34 years old. In 2018, Galway City Museum held an exhibition on the life of Molineaux to mark the 200th anniversary of his death. Also in 2018 a plaque was erected in Galway at the site of his death. In 2019, Katie Taylor unveiled a headstone over his previously unmarked grave in St James' graveyard in Galway.

Career record

, - , align="center" colspan=8, 5 Wins, 3 Losses, 1 Draw , - , align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Result , align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Opponent , align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Date , align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Location , align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Duration , - , Win , Jack Burrows , 24 July 1810 , Tothill Fields, Westminster , 65 minutes , - , Win , Tom Blake , 21 August 1810 , Epple Bay near Margate , 8 rounds , - , Loss ,

, 18 December 1810 , Copthorne Gap,

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant ur ...

, 35 rounds , - , Win , William Rimmer , 21 May 1811 ,

, 21 rounds , - , Loss ,

, 28 September 1811 , Thistleton Gap , 11 rounds , - , Win , Jack Carter , 2 April 1813 , Remington, Gloucestershire , 25 rounds , - , style="background: #dae2f1", Draw , William Fuller , 27 May 1814 , Bishopstorff, Paisley , 4 rounds , - , Win , William Fuller , 31 May 1814 , Auchineux , 2 rounds , - , Loss , George Cooper , 11 March 1815 , Corset Hill, Lanarkshire , 14 rounds

Legacy

*It was discovered that Molineaux is a direct ancestor to American hip-hop superstar

LL Cool J James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, along ...

. The rapper, named James Todd Smith, found out the information when he had his genealogy traced on a television show titled ''

Finding Your Roots ''Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'' is a documentary television series hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. that premiered on March 25, 2012, on PBS. In each episode, celebrities are presented with a "book of life" that is compiled wi ...

''. *A hand-coloured etching of Molineaux by

Robert Dighton Robert Dighton was born c.1752 in London and died there in 1814. An English portrait painter, printmaker and caricaturist, he was the founder of a dynasty of artists who followed in his footsteps. Life and work Robert Dighton was the son of t ...

is held in the National Portrait Gallery in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. * A fictionalised account of Molineaux's boxing career is the basis of '' Black Ajax'', by

George MacDonald Fraser George MacDonald Fraser (2 April 1925 – 2 January 2008) was a British author and screenwriter. He is best known for a series of works that featured the character Flashman. Biography Fraser was born to Scottish parents in Carlisle, England, ...

. * In 2003, Molineaux featured in the television documentar
Georgian Underworld: Bare Knuckle Boxer
* Thomas Molineaux is featured in the short animation ''The Prize Fighter'', directed by Jason Young. * Tom Molyneaux is featured, as a ghost, in the short story ''Apparition in the Prize Ring'' by Robert E. Howard, who was a boxing fan. * Molineaux's fight with Cribb was turned into a 2014 play called ''Prize Fighters'' (based on the book ''Bristol Boys'' by Jack Allen), by director Ed Viney and was performed in the Tobacco Factory in 2015. * Molineaux's return fight with Cribb in 1811 at Thistleton Gap is referred to in '' Regency Buck'', a novel by Georgette Heyer. * Molineaux was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997. * In 2010, Molineaux was inducted into the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame. * In 2017, a documentary film ''Ag Trasnú an Atlantaigh Dhuibh/ Crossing the Black Atlantic'', directed by Des Kilbane and Andrew Gallimore, premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh.

References

External links

Pottery figurines of Cribb and Molineux
at the International Boxing Hall of Fame

at the Virginia Historical Society
Account of Tom Cribb vs Tom Molineaux fight
on the

BoxRec BoxRec or boxrec.com is a website dedicated to holding updated records of professional and amateur boxers, both male and female. It also maintains a MediaWiki-based encyclopaedia of boxing. The objective of the site is to document every profes ...

website
Tom Molineaux
at The Cyber Boxing Zone {{DEFAULTSORT:Molineaux, Tom 1784 births 1818 deaths 18th-century American slaves 19th-century American slaves 19th-century deaths from tuberculosis 19th-century sportsmen African-American boxers Alcohol-related deaths in Ireland American emigrants to England American emigrants to Ireland American male boxers American people imprisoned abroad Bare-knuckle boxers Black British history Boxers from Virginia Free Negroes Heavyweight boxers People imprisoned for debt Tuberculosis deaths in Ireland