Pearlware Jug, c.1811
This jug shows a boxing match between Tom Molineaux and Tom Cribb in 1810. Molineaux had been a slave in America. He gained his freedom when he made a plantation owner lots of money through boxing.
Tom came to England to earn money as a boxer and to fight English champion Tom Cribb. They fought for 39 rounds until both men were exhausted. Molineaux collapsed and Cribb was declared the winner. Both fighters impressed the public and Molineaux became a celebrity.
Tom Molineaux was born in 1784 as a slave in Virginia. He was trained by his father Zachary Molineaux and boxed with other slaves as entertainment for the plantation owners. His own plantation owner won a hundred thousand dollars on Molineaux and then granted Tom his freedom.
In 1810 Tom worked his passage on board a ship to England hoping to earn money prize fighting. Boxing was one way in which black people could gain wealth and social status in Britain at that time.
In December 1810 Molineaux fought Tom Cribb the English champion. In the 28th round Molineaux appeared to have knocked out Cribb. However, some people argued that he had been hiding lead bullets in his fists. This was disproved but gave Cribb time to recover.
Molineaux later slipped and hit his head on one of the ring posts which weakened him. By the 39th round he was unable to defend himself any more and Cribb was declared the winner. A modern boxing match only lasts a maximum of 12 rounds of three minutes.
At a rematch a record 15,000 people watched the fight. Cribb had trained harder for this fight and Molineaux was eventually knocked out after his jaw had been broken.
Tom Molineaux still became something of a celebrity and gained admiration. However, he later died penniless in Dublin in 1818.
