Paddington Tom Jones

Paddington Jones (1766 – 22 August 1833) was a British bare-knuckle boxer from 1785 to 1805. He is best remembered for fighting and seconding the most number of fights for any boxer of his era. His bout with Jem Belcher was considered by a few historians to be for a Championship of England, though the boxers differed significantly in weight. There was no formal sanctioning body to confer global or even national championship status on the fight during the period, and no real formal recognition of weight classes at the time.[2]

Tom Jones
Statistics
Real nameTom Jones
Nickname(s)Paddington Jones
Weight(s)139–146 lb (63–66 kg);
Welterweight
Height5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
NationalityBritish
BornNovember 18, 1766[1]
Montgomeryshire, England[1]
Died(1833-08-22)22 August 1833
Paddington, London
Boxing record
Wins19
(Better known matches only)
Losses1
Draws1

Early life

Jones was born of Welsh parents in Montgomeryshire, also known as Maldwyn, a former administrative county of Wales in Northeast Central England, on November 18, 1766, or 1769 by some accounts. He was brought by his family in his youth to Paddington, from whence came his ringname.[1] Paddington was in the city of Westminster which was at the time a very poor section in London's West End.

In his early boxing career he came under the eye of boxer Tom Johnson, who recognized his early talent and helped develop his boxing skills.[3]

Throughout his boxing career, Jones acted as Master of Ceremonies at London's The Fives and Tennis Courts, a premier venue, where he hosted and helped plan sparring exhibitions. The position kept him constantly before the public and the greatest London area boxers and became a springboard for his prolific career as a boxing attendant or second for many of the era's greatest bare-knuckle boxers.[4]

Bare-knuckle boxing career

Jones was tall for a welterweight, with a hard, slim appearance, and had a narrow face with a long aquiline nose. He is credited with having fought more bouts and seconded more pugilists than any boxer of his era. Many of the fights in which he worked as a second are chronicled in Famous Fights Past and Present and appeared as weill in many London area newspapers of the period.

He fought several notable bare-knuckle boxers of his day, including Caleb Baldwin, and Jem Belcher, though most of his fights went unreported in the larger London area newspapers of the period.[4]

Boxing highlights 1785-86

According to most sources, his first fight was against Ned Holmes in 1785, at Paddington Fields, for a mere half a crown, which he lost. Jones was but an inexperienced youth, and Holmes a full grown man, and Jones could not pull out a victory.[5] They fought a second bout on 19 December 1786 for the better sum of a crown and a half, and Jones vanquished the older man in an easy victory.[3]

He fought three battles against the one-eyed Sailor in February 1786 for 10, 5, and 7 guineas at London's Hyde Park.[6]

He defeated Jack Holmes around 12 December 1786 at Harley Fields for a purse of 1.5 guineas.[5][6] A guinea was a gold coin which ended production in the 1830s, and was valued at one English pound plus one shilling.

Boxing highlights 1787-92

Before his historic bout with Baldwin, he met a boxer named Aldridge, for a larger purse of 2 guineas on one side against a watch on the other. Aldridge was a Life-guardsman, a member of the British service who traditionally guarded the Monarch. Showing greater stamina than his opponent, Jones won the 60 round match at Marylebone, on 19 December 1787.[5][6] Aldridge had bragged of his skills at Tom Johnson's house, and had the boxer Joe Ward match him with Paddington. Ward acted as second, and some of the best boxing talent in London witnessed the intrepid Jones pull off a victory that brought him considerable attention in boxing circles.[3]

Match with Caleb Baldwin
Caleb Baldwin

On 14 May 1792 he fought Caleb Baldwin, one of his best known opponents, to a draw in 30 minutes at Smitham Bottom for a substantial purse of £20.[5][6] Smitham Bottom was a desolate location at the floor of a smooth valley in the Southern part of greater London, and had been a place for staging fights in the past. The battle was fought on the same constructed stage on which the great Daniel Mendoza had earlier fought Bill Warr. Though a dispute arose after the fight as Jones believed he had won the match, the issue was resolved by declaring a draw. Shortly after his match with Baldwin, Jones entered the ring with Dick Horton, a baker, at London's Hyde Park, and delivered such a series of hard and rapid blows that the baker asked to end the match.[1]

In a slightly better publicized match on 4 September 1792, he won a 15 minute contest for a considerable purse of 30 guineas against Abraham Challice, a large opponent six feet in height and 196 pounds(89 kg), at Bentley Green, near Colchester, England. Challice was said to be a bully and unpopular by the townspeople according to one source, and the fight took place spontaneously after Challice insulted and taunted Jones, attempted to trip him and laughed in his face. At the commencement of the match, the crowd feared for the slender, youthful Jones who weighed a mere 145 pounds (65 kg). Challice led for the first three rounds using his superior strength but in the fourth Jones put a hit under Challice's ear, and knocked him down. He delivered a continuous drubbing for the remainder of the contest. The farmers present were so pleased to see Aldridge humbled that they collected a subscription purse of 30 guineas and presented it to Baldwin.[5][6][7]

Boxing highlights 1795-1805

He fought Harris the Spaniard for a purse, in a match lasting 20 minutes at Lansdowne, on August 12, 1795. According to "Puglistica", Harris bolted with the purse, 20 minutes into the fighting, ending the match.[5][6] Present at the competition was the youthful Jem Belcher, a future champion.[8][1]

Between 1776-1779, he defeated three men including Yokel, the Jew at Hounslow, George Stringer and Jem Smith at Paddington Fields.[5][6]

He fought the skilled Jewish boxer Keeley Lyons on 10 May 1794 at Blackheath, and 22 June 1795 at Hounslow. The bout at Blackheath lasted only 10 minutes and was fought for 20 guineas with Tom Johnson as second, whereas the match at Houslow in 1795 went nine rounds and 16 minutes, but was fought for only 10 guineas.[3]

On 6 April 1797, he fought "The Chaffcutter" for the more substantial sum of 4 guineas in a 22 round match lasting 38 minutes at Two Waters at Herts.[5][6]

Championship with Jem Belcher, 1799
Belcher and Jones, from Famous Fights

In what many consider his most important fight, on 12 April 1799, he lost to the young future English champion Jem Belcher in seventeen rounds lasting thirty-three minutes, for a considerable purse of £50 at West London's Old Oak Common just beyond Wormwood Scrubbs. The contest was considered by a few to be a middle or heavyweight Championship match of England, though it was early in Belcher's career.[5] Jones had as his seconds Joe Ward and Dick Hall. Most boxing historians note that though the match was Belcher's first in a London ring, that Jones, a bare-knuckle veteran of 13 years, had yet to be defeated in any of his matches. Jem, though later to be a great champion, was only around 18 at the time of the fight, to Jones's experienced 30. Paddington weighed around 147 and according to varying accounts Belcher weighed more, but was three inches shorter than Jones. Puglistica, the most reliable source, listed Belcher's weight at 174 lbs., in the light heavyweight range, but a few sources list his weight as closer to 160 in the middleweight range. Belcher had seen Jones fight the Spaniard Harris, and had studied his style. He was quick and could return to his defensive stance rapidly after striking a blow, and he was a strong and rapid two-handed fighter. In the first few rounds they fought somewhat evenly, with Jones even knocking down Belcher once. Belcher was said to dodge the vast majority of Jones's punches in the first three rounds. By the fifth, Belcher began to exhibit a more aggressive style, taking advantage of his youth and speed. Belcher leveled Jones with a blow between the eyes in the tenth which was a turning point for the match, and though Jones put up a valiant effort, he was leveled in many subsequent rounds, and his second threw up the sponge in the 17th. It was a clean fight throughout with no hugging, shifting, or hauling displayed by either antagonist.[3][9]

Shortly after the loss to Belcher, he defeated Jack Blackwell at Harley fields, for a purse of ten shillings.[1]

Match with Isaac Bitton
Isaac Bitton by Percy Roberts

On 31 July 1801, he lost to Isaac Bitton, a skilled and well known Jewish boxer of the period, at Wimbledon Common. Bitton, a Scott and student of Daniel Mendoza, won the contest by knockout. According to one source, Mendoza was present at the fight, and seconded his protégé Bitton.[10][5][11] Jones, seconded by champion Jem Belcher who also helped arrange the bout, was around 32, to Bitton's youthful 22. According to Puglistica, Bitton was the larger and stronger combatant. Jones was said to have the best of it in the early rounds, but Bitton came from behind and won the match, though Jones led the betting by 3-1, as a result of strong backing by wealthy patrons. Jones was unable to continue the match and resume the contest after being knocked nearly senseless after 20 minutes of fighting. The purse was a substantial 40 guineas. According to one account, a riot occurred after Bitton, the Jewish boxer, defeated Jones, between the large Jewish audience and the wealthy and largely Christian backers of Jones and his second Jem Belcher.[12]

He next met George Nicholls, for an exceptional purse of 40 guineas in a 4 round match at Norwich's Norwood Common, wooded area in Southeast London in March of 1802. Nicholls had once defeated the great Tom Cribb, though Cribb often denied having lost to Nicholls. According to Pierce Egan, the greatest boxing reporter of the era, Nicholls was the only boxer to ever defeat Cribb, who would later become an English champion.[13] Nicholls had refused to fight Jones in 1796, at a meeting previously arranged by Tom Johnson at Landsdown near Bath.[5] In the fourth and final round, Nicholls, after getting his head stuck between his opponent's legs and holding his ankles with his hands, threw Tom with considerable force. This was considered a violation of the rules, and a foul was called. Jones attempted to collect the 40 guineas, but was rebuffed by Nicholl's second. Puglistica did not write that a decision for either boxer was ever reached.[6][1]

He fought Simpson for 10 guineas, in a well-fought fight lasting 10 rounds, at Edgware Road, near London in June, 1804, winning in 10 rounds. Simpson had been a pupil of Jones's mentor Tom Johnson.[6][1]

One of his last matches was a repeat bout, believed to be against Keeley Lyons for 10 guineas at Blackheath on 6 August 1805 which lasted around 10 minutes.[6]

Late career as boxing attendant

Puglistica noted that "no man appeared oftener in the character of a second than Tom Jones, and few understood that duty better than himself."[1] Among a few of the important matches in which he acted as second:

  • He attended the Black boxer Molineuax in his second battle with Tom Cribb, a match at which English champions Daniel Mendoza and Jim Jackson were present.[14]
  • He attended the champion Burke on 27 January 1804 against Pierce, the "Game Chicken", acting as bottle holder. Future opponent Caleb Baldwin attended Pierce.[15]
  • He attended Peter Crawley in his match with Tom Hickman in Moulsey Hurst on 16 March 1819.[16]
  • Along with Harry Holt, he seconded Jack Randall, the Non-pareil, who defeated Jack Martin in a widely attended lightweight championship match on 4 May 1819. Included in the audience was the English heavyweight champion Gentleman John Jackson. Jones would second Randall on several other occasions.[17] He seconded Jack Randall in a number of his other fights.[1]
  • He seconded and trained Alec Reid in his match with Gypsey Cooper in 1824.
  • He seconded E. (likely Ned) Turner in his fight against J. Ingles for £100 at Colnbrook on 19 April 1824, Ingles winning in Round 46 in 1 hour, 18 mins.[18]
  • He attended and assisted in building the ring for the widely attended English championship fight between the Englishman Jem Ward and the Irishman Simon Byrne on 12 July 1829.[19]
  • In London around 1811, he mentored and taught the accomplished English boxer George Cooper (born 1790-died 1834, Liverpool) of Stone in Staffordshire.[20]

Benefit for Jones

On 16 April 1818, a benefit was fought for him at London's Fifth-Street, Soho. Boxers who sparred at Paddington's well attended benefit included Tom Oliver, Tom Spring, Big Ben Burns, and Jack Scroggins.[21]

Jones later was present at a modestly attended sparring presentation by the great English heavyweight champion Daniel Mendoza given at a London Tennis Court around 16 November 1825. Many of the greatest boxers of the era were present, including Jones's former opponent Caleb Baldwin, as well as a host of well-known boxers of the day. As a tribute, Mendoza demonstrated a boxing style similar to several of the great boxers of the era including the exceptional Jack Broughton and Tom Johnson, an early mentor to Paddington. Johnson was not present, as he had died in 1797.[22]

Selected bouts
8 Wins,3 Losses, 2 Draws[6][1]
Result Opponent Date Location Result/Duration Notes
Loss Ned Holmes 1785 Paddington Fields, London Unknown First match
Win One-eyed Sailor Feb 1786 Hyde Park, London Unknown Three matches for 10, 5, and 7 guineas
Win Aldridge 19 Dec 1787 Marylebone 60 rounds Fought for 2 guineas
*Draw* Caleb Baldwin* 14, May 1792 Smitham Bottom 30 mins Large purse of £20
Win Abraham Challice 5 Sep 1792 Bentley Green 15 mins For large purse of 30 guineas
Challice was 6' tall
Win Keeley Lyons 10 May 1794 Blackheath 10 mins For 20 guineas
Win Keeley Lyons 22 June 1795 Hounslow 9 rounds, 16 minutes For 10 guineas
Win The Chaffcutter 6 Apr 1797 Two Waters, Herts, England 22 Rounds, 38 mins Fought for 4 guineas
Loss Jem Belcher* 12 Apr 1799 Wormwood Scrubbs 17 rounds, 33 mins Middleweight Championship
Belcher was heavier
Loss Isaac Bitton 31 July 1801 Wimbledon Common 4 rounds Lost purse of 40 guineas
*Draw*[1] George Nicholls Mar 1802 Norwood Common 4 rounds, ended in foul Large purse of 40 guineas
Win Likely Keeley Lyons 6 Aug 1805 Blackheath 15 mins For 10 guineas

Death

Jones died in Paddington on 22 August 1833 at age 67.[4][1]

Honors

Jones was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2010.[4]

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References
  1. Downes Miles, Henry (1906). Pugilistica: the history of British boxing. J. Grant. p. 501-8. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  2. "Paddington Jones". Boxing Record. CyberBoxingZone. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  3. The Sportsman's magazine of life in London and the country, Volume 1. London. 1845. p. 173. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  4. "Paddington Jones". IBHOF. International Boxing Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  5. "Paddington Jones". Boxing Record. CyberBoxingZone. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  6. From Famous Fights Past and Present, No. 55,"Paddington Jones". Boxrec Boxing Record. Boxrec. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  7. "Today in Pugilistic Annals", Altoona Times, Altoona, Pennsylvania, pg. 10, 6 September 1916
  8. Famous Fights Past and Present, Volume 1, No. 4, edited by Harold Furniss, London, England, 1904, pg. 56-7
  9. "Famous Fights Past and Present", edited by Harold Furniss, Volume 4, London, England, 1904
  10. "Famous Fights Past and Present", edited by Harold Furniss, London, England, 1904, pg. 47.
  11. Bitton was a student of Mendoza in "Golding, Louis", "Champion Jem Belcher Meets a Tartar", Times Columnist, Victoria, Canada, pg. 28, 3 September 1949
  12. "Today in Pugilistic Annals", The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, pg. 7, 13 July 1914
  13. Snowdon, David (2013). Writing the Prizefight: Pierce Egan's Boxiana World.
  14. Famous Fights Past and Present, Volume 1, No. 4, edited by Harold Furniss, London, England, 1904, pg.214
  15. "Boxing, Burke and Game Chicken", Jackson's Oxford Journal, Oxford, England, pg. 1, 28 June 1804
  16. Famous Fights Past and Present, edited by Harold Furniss, London, England, 1904, pg. 90-92
  17. "The Two Great Fights For the Championship", Famous Fights Past and Present, edited by Harold Furniss, London, England, 1904, pg. 66-69
  18. "2nd Column Bottom", Ipswitch Journal, Ipswich, Suffolk, England, pg. 2, 24 April 1824
  19. Famous Fights Past and Present, edited by Harold Furniss, London, England, 1904, pg. 52
  20. Famous Fights Past and Present, edited by Harold Furniss, London, England, 1904, pg. 169
  21. "Sparring, Column 4", The Morning Chronicle, London, England, pg. 4, 18 April 1818
  22. "Sparring", The Morning Chronicle, London, England, pg. 4, 16 November 1825
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