Thomas Molineaux (23 March 1784 – 4 August 1818), sometimes spelled Molyneaux or Molyneux, was an American bare-knuckle boxer and possibly a former slave. He spent much of his career in Great Britain and Ireland, where he had some notable successes. He arrived in England in 1809 and started his fighting career there in 1810. His two fights against Tom Cribb, widely viewed as the Champion of England, brought Molineaux fame even though he lost both contests. The result of the first encounter was hotly contested, with accusations of a fix. The second, losing contest with Cribb, however, was undisputed. His prizefighting career ended in 1815. After a tour that took him to Scotland and Ireland, he died in Galway, Ireland in 1818, aged 34.
Early life
According to some of the chroniclers of 19th-century boxing, Molineaux was born into slavery in the State of Virginia, USA in 1784. The most detailed account claims that he was born on a plantation and that he took his surname from the owners' name. An earlier writer just states that he came from the United States of America. In one account he boxed with other slaves to entertain plantation owners and was granted his freedom and $500 after winning a fight on which the son of the plantation owner had staked $100,000. Another source claims he was in the service of the one time American ambassador to London, William Pinkney. One of his biographers points out that while some of these accounts may be based on truth, they cannot be substantiated and may have been romanticised to some extent. After obtaining his freedom, Molineaux was reported to have moved to New York, where he was said to have been involved in "several battles" and had claimed the title "Champion of America". He subsequently emigrated to England where he expected to be able to earn money as a prize fighter.
Career in Europe
Molineaux found his way to London in 1809 where he made contact with Bill Richmond, another ex-slave-turned-boxer who ran the pub the Horse and Dolphin in Leicester Square, London. Molineaux's first fight in England took place at Tothill Fields, Westminster on 24 July 1810. According to one report, the match was preceded by bull baiting. Molineaux won the fight, beating Jack Burrows of Bristol in front of a small crowd in 65 minutes. Bill Richmond seconded Molineaux for the fight and Tom Cribb seconded Burrows.
Molineaux's second fight in England was against Tom Blake whose nickname was "Tom Tough". The fight took place at Epple Bay near Margate on August 21, 1810, the American ending up victorious after 8 rounds when Blake was knocked out by Molineaux. In this fight, the American was reported to have shown "great improvement in the science of pugilism".
On 3 December 1810, having been trained by Bill Richmond, Molineaux fought Tom Cribb at Shenington Hollow in Oxfordshire for the English title. According to the writer Pierce Egan, who was present, Molineaux stood at five foot eight and a quarter inches tall, and for this fight weighed "fourteen stone two" (). Egan wrote that few people, including Cribb, expected the fight to last very long; there was betting that Cribb would win in the first ten rounds. However, Molineaux proved a powerful and intelligent fighter and the two battered each other heavily. There was a disturbance in the 19th round as Molineaux and Cribb were locked in a wrestler's hold (legal under the rules of the time) so that neither could hit the other nor escape. The referee stood by, uncertain as to whether he should break the two apart, and the dissatisfied crowd pushed into the ring. In the confusion Molineaux hurt his left hand; Egan could not tell if it had been broken. There was also dispute over whether Cribb had managed to return to the line before the allowed 30 seconds had passed. If he had not, Molineaux would have won, but in the confusion the referee could not tell and the fight went on. After the 34th round Molineaux said he could not continue but his second persuaded him to return to the ring, where he was defeated in the 35th round.
Two days after the fight, Richmond took Molineaux to the Stock Exchange in London where the boxer received an ovation and was presented with 45 guineas.
On 21 May 1811, Molineaux took on William Rimmer, a 22 year old fighter from Lancashire. The bout took place at Moulsey Hurst and Molineaux won after 21 rounds.