Brunch Boxing Remembers: Tom Molineaux
- Matthew Brown
- 2 minutes ago
- 3 min read
02/02/2026
Long before boxing was governed by gloves, commissions, and bright lights, the sport was shaped in open fields by raw courage, brutality, and survival. Among the most remarkable figures of that era was Tom Molineaux, an African American bare-knuckle boxer whose life and career challenged both opponents and the racial boundaries of the early 19th century.
Born into slavery in Virginia around 1784, Molineaux was introduced to fighting at an early age. He was trained by his father, himself a fighter, and alongside his twin brother. Like many enslaved men of physical prowess, Molineaux was forced to box other slaves to entertain plantation owners and their guests. His talent proved undeniable. Through winnings on bets, Molineaux earned his owner a substantial sum of money—and ultimately, his own freedom, secured through boxing.
In 1809, newly free and determined to test himself against the best fighters in the world, Molineaux traveled to England to pursue a professional career. There, he trained under Bill Richmond, a former slave who had become one of the most respected boxers and trainers in Britain. Richmond’s guidance helped shape Molineaux into a powerful and intelligent fighter capable of competing at the highest level.
Molineaux made his English debut on July 24, 1810, defeating Jack Burrows in a grueling contest that lasted 65 minutes. The victory immediately announced him as a serious threat on the British boxing scene.
His most famous bout came just months later, on December 3, 1810, when he challenged Tom Cribb, the reigning British champion, for the English title at Shenington Hollow in Oxfordshire. According to writer Pierce Egan, who was present, Molineaux stood five feet eight and a quarter inches tall and weighed “fourteen stone two”—approximately 198 pounds. Few observers, including Cribb himself, expected the fight to last long, and heavy betting favored Cribb to win within ten rounds.
Instead, Molineaux shocked the crowd. He proved both powerful and tactically sharp, battering Cribb and enduring immense punishment in return. In the 19th round, controversy erupted when the fighters became locked in a wrestler’s hold, which was legal under the rules of the time. The referee hesitated to intervene, and an impatient crowd surged into the ring. Amid the chaos, Molineaux injured his left hand, and there was fierce dispute over whether Cribb had failed to return to the line within the allotted thirty seconds. Had he not, Molineaux would have been declared the winner. Unable to judge in the confusion, the referee allowed the fight to continue.
After 34 brutal rounds, Molineaux said he could not go on, but his second urged him back into the ring. He was finally defeated in the 35th round. Despite the controversial loss, Molineaux earned widespread respect for his skill, courage, and resilience against the champion.
A rematch was held on September 28, 1811 at Thistleton Gap in Rutland, before a crowd of 15,000 spectators. Egan noted that both fighters “weighed less by more than a stone,” placing Molineaux at no more than 185 pounds. Though he continued to land heavy blows, Molineaux was out-fought this time. Cribb broke his jaw and ultimately knocked him out in the 11th round. After the bout, Richmond and Molineaux parted ways.
In the years that followed, Molineaux’s career declined as injuries mounted and personal struggles took their toll. He died in poverty in Ireland in 1818, far removed from the roaring crowds and historic battles that once defined his life.
Yet Tom Molineaux’s legacy endures. As a pioneering African American boxer, he stood toe-to-toe with the best fighter of his era on foreign soil, under hostile conditions, and in a society deeply shaped by racial prejudice. His courage and talent carved out a place in boxing history, and in the broader story of athletes who challenged injustice with their fists and their will.
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