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Bruisers and bare knuckles: the brutal world of Victorian boxing

Bruisers and bare knuckles: the brutal world of Victorian boxing

As A Thousand Blows lands on Disney Plus, the show's historical consultant Sarah Elizabeth Cox revisits the strange and spectacular world of Victorian boxing

James Osborne

Published: February 21, 2025 at 7:10 AM

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Men fighting pumas. Brutal prize-fights in sacred chapels. A pair of sisters who could pack a punch. In Victorian Britain, boxing offered up edge-of-your-seat entertainment to all levels of society. A new Disney Plus show A Thousand Blows transports viewers back to the ringside in Victorian London, and in this episode, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to the show's historical consultant Sarah Elizabeth Cox to uncover some of the extraordinary real stories that inspired the drama.

Authors

James OsborneSenior content producer

James Osborne is a senior content producer at HistoryExtra