The first boxing match

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Boxing is a sport with extremely deep roots. Although it peaked in popularity in the 20th century, the sport has existed since ancient times, although it was not called that. There are sources that indicate that hand-to-hand combat between two people took place as far back as 4000 BC. Clashes were part of the entertainment of the Roman Empire, and then also in Byzantium. With the advent of Christianity as a religion, this "entertainment" was banned, but the legend of the sport survived and it regained popularity after the 16th century.

There is little evidence of official boxing matches, but a rarely mentioned moment in the 17th century is considered to be the beginning of boxing as a sport. On March 17, 1681, the first report was published in English media, which is still considered the first document that started the sport.

On this date, the Duke of Albermarle (Christopher Monk) decided to hold the first boxing match ever documented. It is for his personal pleasure, with the chosen ones for the first showdown in the story being his personal butler versus the butcher in his home handling the cattle raised on the estate. Information about this "fight" is scarce, but the fight had no rules, no referee, and was played to a knockout. The butcher was the winner of the kind of duel.

After a lull after this publication, until 1719, the first champion in "bare-fisted combat" was written about. This is James Figg winning the first championship, and the term boxing/boxing was first used in the London Protestant Mercury.

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