William Stevens (boxer) facts for kids

William Stevens, also known as The Nailer, was a famous boxer. He became well-known for beating Jack Slack in 1760. However, his good name was later hurt because people accused him of losing a fight on purpose against George Meggs. Important boxing records like Boxiana and Pugilistica say he was the Champion of England from 1760 to 1761.

Early Boxing Days

In January 1760, Stevens won a fight against a butcher named Swafford. The fight lasted about 15 minutes. In February of the same year, Stevens fought Jacob Taplin, a carman. Most people thought Taplin would win. The fight lasted about 12 minutes, and Stevens won in the end.

A story from 1798 said that Taplin was winning the fight at first. It said Stevens was knocked down. But Stevens got back up and knocked Taplin down. Taplin then gave up in the next round.

Fight with Jack Slack

On May 17, 1760, Stevens challenged Jack Slack to a fight. Slack was famous for beating another boxer named Jack Broughton.

Their fight happened at the Tennis Court in Haymarket. After about three to three and a half minutes, at the end of the third round, Stevens hit Slack in the stomach. This made Slack give up.

A boxing history book from 1797 said Stevens used smart moves. It said he hit Slack's right arm with his left hand. At the same time, he hit Slack's head with his right hand. He also used his foot to trip Slack. This made Slack's falls harder.

Fight with George Meggs

In 1761, Stevens fought George Meggs. One newspaper, The Bath Chronicle, said both boxers knocked each other down twice. Then, George Meggs knocked Stevens down six times in a row. This showed Meggs's skill and strength, and he won the fight.

Another newspaper, The Public Ledger, had a different story. It said Stevens missed a punch at Meggs. Then Meggs hit Stevens on the side of the head. After that, both boxers held onto each other and fought carefully for 17 minutes. Stevens then gave up.

Later, people said Stevens didn't try his best in this fight. They said he lost on purpose. This idea hurt Stevens's reputation and the fight itself. A writer named Henry Lemoine said that Jack Slack had paid Stevens to lose to Meggs. Lemoine wrote that Stevens supposedly said he got extra money for letting Meggs win. This accusation made people upset. It not only damaged Stevens's good name but also made boxing less popular for a while.

Later Boxing Days

In December 1761, Stevens fought a boxer known as Carrots. Their brothers also fought on the same day. Stevens won his fight, but his brother lost. In June 1762, Stevens was supposed to fight a man named Turner. However, this fight was stopped because of legal issues.

In August 1767, The Nailer fought William Darts, who was a dyer. Most people thought Darts would win easily. But Stevens won after 15 minutes. Henry Lemoine said Stevens used the same clever moves he used to beat Slack. In 1769, Stevens lost another fight. This time, George Milsom beat him in about six or seven minutes.

In September 1778, Harry Sellers defeated Stevens. It was a tough fight that lasted thirty minutes. By this time, Stevens was about fifty years old and not in his best shape. He did manage to knock Sellers down once. But in the end, Stevens lost the fight.

His Legacy

William Stevens is remembered as the Champion of England. He held this title from his win over Jack Slack in 1760. He lost it when he was defeated by George Meggs in 1761.

Stevens's reputation was greatly affected by the idea that he wasn't always honest. In Boxiana, Pierce Egan praised Stevens's strength and skill. But Egan was very critical of his character. In Pugilistica, Henry Downes said Stevens could have been as famous as other great boxers. He believed Stevens would be remembered like Jack Broughton, Jack Slack, and George Taylor. But this didn't happen because of the accusation that he lost a fight on purpose.