1. Ben Caunt was a 19th-century English bare-knuckle boxer who became the heavyweight boxing champion known as the "Torkard Giant" and "Big Ben".
13 Facts About Ben Caunt
1. 2.
Ben Caunt was said to be strong, durable, and willing yet slow and clumsy.
3.
On 21 July 1835, Caunt boxed William "Bendigo" Thompson and was disqualified for an alleged foul striking Thompson while he was sitting in his corner.
4.
On 17 August 1837, Ben Caunt fought and beat William Butler at Stoneyford in Derbyshire, and on 4 November Bill Boniford at Sunrise Hill.
5.
On 3 April 1838, Ben Caunt again fought William Thompson on Skipworth Common, and after 76 rounds Thompson was disqualified for going down without being struck; Ben Caunt claimed the Heavyweight Championship of England but this was not generally accepted.
6.
On 26 October 1840, Ben Caunt defeated Bill Brassey at Six Mile Bottom in 101 rounds.
7.
On 2 February 1841, Ben Caunt fought Nick Ward on Crookham Common for the Heavyweight Championship of England where the crowd forced the referee to disqualify Ben Caunt for an alleged blow striking Ward while he was down.
8.
On 10 September 1841 Ben Caunt sailed to America to challenge Tom Hyer to a world championship bout, but Hyer never replied.
9.
Ben Caunt returned to England on 10 March 1842 with the "American Giant" Charles Freeman.
10.
Ben Caunt denied this accusation and announced his retirement, only to return for a final attempt at the heavyweight crown 12 years later.
11.
Between 1845 and 1851, Ben Caunt worked as farm labourer and then became the landlord of the Coach and Horses pub at St Martin's Lane, a business that made him very prosperous until the premises were destroyed in a fire that killed two of his children.
12.
Ben Caunt died of pneumonia on 10 September 1861 at an address in St Martin's Lane in London.
13.
Ben Caunt is buried outside the north transept of the Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene in Hucknall close to the grave of his two children who died in the Coach and Horses fire.