Tom Spring (Paperback)

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles Tom Spring (February 22, 1795 - August 20, 1851) was an English bare-knuckle fighter. He was heavyweight champion of England in 1821 until his retirement in 1824. After his retirement he became landlord of the Castle Inn at Holborn in London, where he arranged the patronage and contracts of many of the major boxing events of the period while overseeing fair play in the ring.Spring was born at Witchend in Fownhope, Herefordshire. His true surname was "Winter" which he changed to Spring when he became a professional boxer. His first career was as a butcher the trade in which he was employed when he had his first known fight in 1812, against John Hollands. He had been encouraged to box from a young age by his father, who had constructed a sand bag for him to train with. Later his father was jailed for debt, which destroyed Spring's relationship with him. In 1814 Spring met the legendary heavyweight champion Tom Cribb who was staying nearby. Cribb was impressed by Spring's prowess, and persuaded Spring to go to London under his patronage, this was the beginning of Spring's boxing career.