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Credit
John Broughton, "the founder of the British school of boxing". Stipple engraving by R. Cooper, 1822. Wellcome Collection. Public Domain Mark. Source: Wellcome Collection.
The sitter was originally an oarsman, and the first to win 'Doggett's coat and badge'. Having gained fame as a London pugilist, he opened "Broughton's New Amphitheatre" near Oxford Street on 10 March 1743, and his profitable "British School of Boxing" at the Haymarket in 1747. Broughton unexpectedly lost his boxing ascendancy and considerable money to Slack in April 1750; he never fought again. He died on 8 January 1789 at Walcot-place, Lambeth at the age of 85, apparently still worth a considerable fortune. He had associations with the Duke of Cumberland and was eulogized by Captain Godfrey, who wrote a "Treatise on the useful science of defence"
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