Mick Hill has recently produced a worthy book on the English Prize Ring. For those of you that don't know Mick, he has long held an interest in boxing, and in particular, the days of bare-knuckle fighting. Mick has produced a 200-page book on the prominent boxers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and he has ensured that many of the lesser-known names of this period are included, in the form of mini-biographies.

 There are nearly 80 pugilists featured within the book and some of them will be new to even the most fervent follower of boxing during the bare-knuckle age. Two of the first three names included within the book, for instance, are Tom Pipes and Bill Gretting, and it is a welcome change to see the stories of men such as these recorded.

As well as producing a page on each boxer which describes their achievements Mick has also taken the trouble to produce their fighting record and virtually all of them also have an illustration. Another welcome addition is the inclusion of the nickname, and so many of these boxers were well-known by their nickname. As an example, the exploits of Jeremy Massey aka "The Stunted Lifeguardsman" can be followed on page 184 and, as well as the biographical details relating to his career, which are spread across two pages, one call also see full details of his fight record. 18 contests are listed for the period between 1842 and 1856 and one will find that Massey was once proclaimed the "Best in the land at Featherweight".

 It is a nice little book and would be a welcome addition to the bookshelves of a boxing bibliophile. The price is £13.99.

 To purchase a copy please order from www.fastprint.net/bookshop or Amazon. On Amazon

 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Famous-Pugilists-English-Prize-Ri/dp/178035505X/ref=sr_1_25?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1365594385&sr=1-25&keywords=bareknuckle+boxing

Or to contact Mick direct please email This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it