Egan, Boxiana: Hen Pearce and the Bristol prize-ring (1812)

Hen Pearce, born in Bristol in 1777, rose to become the undisputed Champion of England from 1804 until his retirement through ill health in 1807. Before his rise to national prominence, Pearce had defeated a series of opponents across the West Country fight scene. Pierce Egan’s Boxiana (1812) records his matches in detail, establishing Pearce as the principal figure connecting West of England bare-knuckle culture to the national prize ring. His career provides the critical bridge between regional Westcountry pugilism and the London championship scene that produced Abraham Cann’s contemporaries.

Source: Egan, P. (1812). Boxiana, or, sketches of ancient and modern pugilism, Vol. 1. Sherwood, Neely, and Jones.