Bill Richmond

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the film and television comedy writer, see Bill Richmond (writer).

For the television director, see Bill Richmond (director).

Bill Richmond (1763–December 28, 1829) was an African American boxer, born a slave in Cuckold's Town (now Richmondtown), Staten Island, New York. His nickname was 'The Black Terror'.

Richmond was the servant of Lord Percy, the Duke of Northumberland, during the American Revolutionary War, who took him to England in 1777. On September 26, 1776, Richmond was the hangman who executed Nathan Hale.^[1] Later, Richmond was sent to school in Yorkshire and apprenticed to a cabinet maker in York. However, he made his career as a boxer, narrowly losing to later British and world champion Tom Cribb. After his retirement from boxing, he bought the Horse and Dolphin pub in Leicester Square and set up a boxing academy.

Richmond received no boxing tutoring and was entirely self-taught. By today's standards, Richmond would have been a welterweight and yet he often fought men who weighed 4 or 5 stone heavier then himself. Richmond had excellent footwork and quick hands which meant he was often able to avoid the big punches and outwork bigger fighters. This was demonstrated in his fight with Tom Cribb, who was unable to land a punch in the early rounds. Though Cribb's superior weight and power eventually caught up with Richmond who lost in the 60th round.

He was also a friend and coach of Tom Molineaux, another freed slave who took up boxing in England and fought Cribb twice for the title of world champion.

He died at his home in London in 1829.