Benjamin Brain
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Brain (1753 – April 8, 1794) was a bareknuckle prizefighter
. A collier by trade, he was a valiant fighter whose career spanned twenty years. Brain was born in Bristol
, England
, at which point his surname was "Bryan" or "Brian": later in life this was sometimes corrupted into "Bryant" and also "Brain".
Prior to moving to London in 1774 in order to work as a coal porter at a wharf
he had already defeated Jack Clayton, the champion of Kingswood
, Bristol. and also a fighter called Harris.
His career as a prizefighter started properly in 1786, when he fought John Boone, who was known as “The Fighting Grenadier”. Toughs broke into the ring and ganged up on Brain. In the resulting melée, Brain suffered a beating that almost closed one of his eyes. When order was restored and a surgeon had lanced
the swelling around the eye, he resumed fighting and within ten minutes had forced Boone to quit in defeat.
He fought a man called Corbally at the end of 1788 in Navestock
and then, in 1789, Brain was scheduled to fight the English champion, Tom Johnson for a prize of £500. When Brain fell ill and cancelled the bout, he forfeited the £100 he had put up for the fight. Later in that year he was well enough to fight Jacombs at Banbury
.
In 1790 his 100 guinea
fight against Bill Hooper at Newbury
turned into a farce. Hooper became fearful after Brain's first successful hit on him and resorted to tactics such as falling over and spitting water in his face in order to distract him. The fight lasted over three hours before being declared a draw due to the darkness of evening setting in. Hooper had fallen 133 times during the fight.
Brain then got another opportunity to fight Johnson on 17 January 1791, the fight being arranged to take place at Wrotham
in Kent
. He was supported financially to the tune of 500 guineas by the Duke of Hamilton, It was a brutal but short-lived affair: despite being 7-4 favourite, Johnson was incapacitated after 21 minutes when he broke a finger by hitting a rail that surrounded the ring.
Soon after winning the championship in 1791, and with no challengers coming forward, Brain retired from boxing and the title of English Champion became vacant. There were attempts to arrange a fight against Isaac Perrins
but these came to nothing and until 1794 Brain made his living by sparring
and acting as a second
to other fighters. In that February of that year he agreed to fight William Wood
but then died, of a "scirrhous liver", on 8 April, at his house on Grey's Inn Road, London before the bout had taken place.
He was buried at St. Sepulchre's church, London, his funeral being attended by four fighters: Wood, Johnson, Bill Warr and John Symonds. The epitaph on his headstone read:
Prizefighter
A prizefighter is a boxer.Prizefighter may also refer to:*Don King Presents: Prizefighter, a video game by 2k Sports released in 2008*Prize Fighter, a video game by Digital Pictures released in 1994 for the Sega CD...
. A collier by trade, he was a valiant fighter whose career spanned twenty years. Brain was born in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, at which point his surname was "Bryan" or "Brian": later in life this was sometimes corrupted into "Bryant" and also "Brain".
Prior to moving to London in 1774 in order to work as a coal porter at a wharf
Wharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
he had already defeated Jack Clayton, the champion of Kingswood
Kingswood
Kingswood may mean places:in the United Kingdom:*Kingswood, Buckinghamshire*Kingswood, Dulwich*Kingswood, Gloucestershire, a small village in the district of Stroud**Kingswood Abbey...
, Bristol. and also a fighter called Harris.
His career as a prizefighter started properly in 1786, when he fought John Boone, who was known as “The Fighting Grenadier”. Toughs broke into the ring and ganged up on Brain. In the resulting melée, Brain suffered a beating that almost closed one of his eyes. When order was restored and a surgeon had lanced
Scalpel
A scalpel, or lancet, is a small and extremely sharp bladed instrument used for surgery, anatomical dissection, and various arts and crafts . Scalpels may be single-use disposable or re-usable. Re-usable scalpels can have attached, resharpenable blades or, more commonly, non-attached, replaceable...
the swelling around the eye, he resumed fighting and within ten minutes had forced Boone to quit in defeat.
He fought a man called Corbally at the end of 1788 in Navestock
Navestock
Navestock is a civil parish in the Borough of Brentwood in south Essex, in the East of England region of the United Kingdom. It is located approximately North West of the town of Brentwood and the M25 motorway cuts through the western edge of the parish. It covers an area of in excess of 1800...
and then, in 1789, Brain was scheduled to fight the English champion, Tom Johnson for a prize of £500. When Brain fell ill and cancelled the bout, he forfeited the £100 he had put up for the fight. Later in that year he was well enough to fight Jacombs at Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
.
In 1790 his 100 guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
fight against Bill Hooper at Newbury
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
turned into a farce. Hooper became fearful after Brain's first successful hit on him and resorted to tactics such as falling over and spitting water in his face in order to distract him. The fight lasted over three hours before being declared a draw due to the darkness of evening setting in. Hooper had fallen 133 times during the fight.
Brain then got another opportunity to fight Johnson on 17 January 1791, the fight being arranged to take place at Wrotham
Wrotham
Wrotham is a village situated on the Pilgrims' Way in Kent, at the foot of the North Downs. It is located one mile north of Borough Green and approximately five miles east of Sevenoaks. It is within the junction of the M20 and M26 motorways....
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. He was supported financially to the tune of 500 guineas by the Duke of Hamilton, It was a brutal but short-lived affair: despite being 7-4 favourite, Johnson was incapacitated after 21 minutes when he broke a finger by hitting a rail that surrounded the ring.
Soon after winning the championship in 1791, and with no challengers coming forward, Brain retired from boxing and the title of English Champion became vacant. There were attempts to arrange a fight against Isaac Perrins
Isaac Perrins
Isaac Perrins was an English bareknuckle prizefighter and 18th-century engineer. A man reputed to possess prodigious strength but a mild manner, he fought and lost one of the most notorious boxing matches of the era, a physically mismatched contest against the English Champion Tom Johnson...
but these came to nothing and until 1794 Brain made his living by sparring
Sparring
Sparring is a form of training common to many martial arts. Although the precise form varies, it is essentially relatively 'free-form' fighting, with enough rules, customs, or agreements to make injuries unlikely...
and acting as a second
Cornerman
A cornerman, or simply corner, is a combat sports term for a coach or team mate assisting a fighter during the length of a bout. The cornerman remains outside the combat area during the fight, but in proximity, and can assist the fighter through instruction...
to other fighters. In that February of that year he agreed to fight William Wood
William Wood
-People:* William Wood, 1st Baron Hatherley , British statesman* William Wood , Canadian track and field athlete* William Wood...
but then died, of a "scirrhous liver", on 8 April, at his house on Grey's Inn Road, London before the bout had taken place.
He was buried at St. Sepulchre's church, London, his funeral being attended by four fighters: Wood, Johnson, Bill Warr and John Symonds. The epitaph on his headstone read: