21 Facts About Nat Langham

Nat Langham was an English middleweight bare-knuckle prize fighter.

Nat Langham had the distinction of being the only person ever to beat Thomas Sayers while defending the English middleweight championship.

Nat Langham was considered a scientific boxer, and known for using sharp, well-timed blows, particularly with his left, though he was right handed.

Nat Langham was a 1992 inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and a mentor to the British boxers Tom King and Jem Mace.

Stephen Nathaniel Langham was born to Nathaniel and Mary Langham, frame knitters of stockings, amidst the slum-like conditions of Cross Keys Yard on Upper Castle Street in Hinckley, Leicestershire in May 1820.

Nat Langham started to box in the early 1840s, fighting with "rural roughs".

Nat Langham's closing style was to jab his opponent's eyes until they closed; Nat Langham's finishing blow, the "pick-axe" was a left hook that started low.

Nat Langham fought a non-title bout on 7 May 1844 against Tom Lowe, winning the bout when Lowe unexpectedly conceded the match in the 43rd round.

Nat Langham defeated Doc Campbell, known as the "Brighton Bomber" on 12 June 1845, in a twelve round match that went 27 minutes.

On 23 September 1846, Nat Langham defended what most boxing historians now believe was the English middleweight title against George Gutteridge at South Farm Pastures, three miles from Bourne, England in an 93rd round knockout, taking only twenty-three minutes to complete.

In most of the subsequent short rounds, Nat Langham dealt blows to Gutteridge, who often went to the ground after being hit to avoid further attack.

Nat Langham met his mentor and promoter Ben Caunt, a former claimant of the English heavyweight title, on Stanley Island, off England's River Medway in a sixty round draw, fought in one hour and twenty-nine minutes, on 22 September 1857.

Nat Langham fought scientifically and landed precise blows, while still evading Caunt, who injured his hand against the stakes of the ring in the 51st round.

Nat Langham, who ended the fight with a clear advantage, later protested the referee's decision to call the bout a draw and hoped for a rematch, but none ever occurred, as neither men's backers planned for one.

Nat Langham became one of the first boxing champions to introduce boxing as a sport to College students.

Nat Langham's patrons included high ranking naval officers, powerful businessmen, and members of Parliament.

Meals were famously consumed inside a regulation 24 square foot boxing ring, despite the tight fit as Nat Langham acted as Master of Ceremonies.

When Nat Langham died, the fights and sparring matches staged there moved to retired boxer, club patron, and good friend Alex Keene's "Two Tuns" Tavern.

Nat Langham had sold his share of the Cambrian Stores public house by October 1861 though he continued to act as a boxing promoter, and second.

Nat Langham died of consumption on 1 September 1871 at his house at Cambrian Stores, Castle Street, Leicester Square, Westminster, at the age of 52 in London.

Nat Langham is buried in London's historic Brompton Cemetery in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and though his memory survives, his simple grave and casket have fallen into disrepair.