Paddington Tom Jones

The noted early boxing Pierce Egan notes that the early 'trifling skirmishes of [Tom Jones] are too numerous to be noted'. Jones' first significant fight (i.e fought for stakes) was against Ned Holmes in 1785, at Paddington Fields, for a mere half a crown, which Jones lost. Jones was but an inexperienced youth, and Holmes a full grown man, and Jones could not pull out a victory.[8]

He fought three battles against the one-eyed Sailor in February 1786 for 10, 5, and 7 guineas at London's Hyde Park.

Jones fought Ned Holmes for a second time on 19 December 1786 for stakes of a guinea and a half. This time Jones Jones vanquished the older man in an easy victory.[9]

Sometime in 1786 or 1787, Jones fought a boxer named Aldridge, for a stakes of 2 guineas on one side against a watch on the other. Aldridge was a Life-guardsman, a member of the British army who traditionally guarded the Monarch. Showing greater stamina than his opponent, Jones won the 60 round match at Marylebone, on 19 December 1787. Aldridge had bragged of his skills at Tom Johnson's house, and had the boxer Joe Ward match him with Paddington. Ward acted as second, and some of the best boxing talent in London witnessed the intrepid Jones pull off a victory that brought him considerable attention in boxing circles.[10]

Caleb Baldwin

On 14 May 1792 he fought Caleb Baldwin for a purse of £20 at Smitham Bottom (a remote location about 13 miles south of London in the area now known as Coulsdon on the outskirts of Greater London). The battle was fought on the same constructed stage on which the great Daniel Mendoza had earlier fought Bill Warr for the English Championship. After the Jones-Baldwin fight ended after 30 minutes a dispute arose as Baldwin believed he had won the match, but the onlookers believed it was correctly to be considered a draw.[11]

Jones fought the Jewish boxer Keely Lyons on 10 May 1794 at Blackheath, for 20 guineas. Former champion Tom Johnson served as Jones' second. The contemporary report states that 'it was a well-contested battle, in which much science and bottom were displayed on both sides; but in the event Jones proved the conqueror'.[12] The two boxers fought again on 22 June 1795 at Hounslow. On this occasion Jones won again, in 9 rounds, 16 minutes.[13][14]

In August 1795 Jones fought Harris the Spaniard in a match at Lansdowne, Bristol on 12 August 1795. After 20 minutes, Harris bolted with the purse, ending the fight and 'leaving Jones and Co, lamenting'.[15]

Belcher and Jones, from Famous Fights

On 12 April 1799, Jones lost to the future English champion Jem Belcher in seventeen rounds (lasting thirty-three minutes). The fight was for a purse of £50 and was held at Old Oak Common Wormwood Scrubbs, then some distance west of London. Jones had as his seconds Joe Ward and Dick Hall. It was Belcher's first fight in a London ring. Belcher was only 19 and Jones was a more experienced 30. However, Belcher outweighed Jones by about 2 stone (174lb vs 145lb).[16][17] The contemporary report of the fight in Boxiana reads as follows:

[In] the first round considerable science was displayed on both sides - the experience and skill of Jones were well portrayed: and the dexterity and new mode of fighting, so exclusively Belcher's own, was soon exhibited, but on the termination of the round Belcher was knocked down. The advantages in the second and third round were perfectly reciprocal; but in the fourth and fifth Jones was levelled. In the sixth and seventh rounds Jones showed off in most excellent style - and the amateurs [i.e. spectators] experienced some of the finest displays of the art. [...] It was a clean fight throughout [...] and it might be deemed a model for pugilists in general to follow. [...] The eight and ninth were spiritedly contested, but in the tenth round Belcher put in some tremendous hits, with the rapidity of lightning. This immediately altered the appearance of things [...] Yet Jones nobly contested for victory for the space of thirty-three minutes before he gave in.[18]

Isaac Bitton by Percy Roberts

On 31 July 1801, Jones fought Isaac Bitton, a Jewish boxer, at Wimbledon Common for 20 guineas a side. The contemporary source Pancratia (which described Bitton as 'Elias', a reference to his Jewish heritage) records that 'For the first 20 minutes Tom evidently had the advantage, and during this time great sport had been afforded to the amateurs [i.e spectators] by the excellent science that was displayed; Elias, however, put in a hit so forcibly behind Tom's ear that he immediately fell, and gave up the contest'.[19] Bitton was apparently a much larger man than Jones.[20][21] Jem Belcher, by this time English champion, served as Jones' second in this bout.

In March 1802 Jones fought George Nicholls for stakes of 20 guineas a side at Norwood (currently in South London, but at the time a rather remote rural location). Nicholls had previously refused to fight Jones in 1798, stating that Jones was too tall.[22] Boxiana records the 1802 encounter as follows:

Three rounds were well contested, and considerable science was displayed, but in the fourth Nicholls ran furiously in, and getting his head between Jones's legs, and catching fast hold of both his ankles, threw Tom with considerable violence - this was deemed an infringement upon the articles and completely deviated from the rules of pugilism[23]

This resulted in a protracted argument between the fighters' backers and seconds on who had won the fight and entitled to claim the stakes. As no agreement could be reached, the result would seem to have been a draw. In 1805 Nicholls would go on to be the only man to defeat Tom Cribb (English Champion from 1808-1821).[24]

Jones fought Simpson for 10 guineas a side, in a well-fought fight lasting 10 rounds, at Edgware Road, near London in June 1804. Simpson had been a pupil of Jones's mentor Tom Johnson.[25]

The last reported fight of Tom Jones took at Blackheath on August 6, 1805, against 'Lyons the Yokel Jew' (not the same as the Keely Lyons that Jones had fought earlier in his career). Pugilistica reports that 'This was one of the most terrible conflicts in which Tom had been engaged. Yokel was a desperate punisher, and Jones suffered severely in the fight, nevertheless Yokel gave in'.[26]