- Tom Paddock
Infobox_Boxer|name=Tom Paddock
imagesize=200px
realname=Thomas Paddock
nickname=Redditch Needlepointer
weight=Heavyweight
height=height|ft=5|in=10.5
nationality=flagicon|UK British
birth_date=1822
birth_place=Redditch ,Worcestershire
death_date=death date|1863|6|30|mf=y
death_place=Marylebone ,London
home=Redditch
style=
total=15
wins=10
KO=Not known
losses=5|Tom Paddock, born Thomas Paddock (c. 1822,
Redditch –June 30 1863 ) also known as the Redditch Needlepointer was a champion British bare-knuckle boxer in the earlyVictorian era .Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]Tom was baptised on August 25 1822 in
Redditch ,Worcestershire ,England , the son of George Paddock and Elizabeth (née Morris). [ [http://www.familysearch.org Familysearch.org] ] Brought up on a farm, he was noted to have developed a size and endurance that lasted him well in his career as a boxer.His professional career in
boxing started in 1844; at the time he was just under six feet tall and weighed twelve stone. Between then and 1850 he was largely undefeated in the boxing ring, and gained a reputation not only for his courageousness but for his foul tactics and uncontrollable temper. It was William Thompson ofNottingham who spoilt his clean record in 1850 inMildenhall, Suffolk . [http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/paddock.htm Fighting history at cyberboxingzone.com] ]In 1851 a fight against
Harry Poulson inBelper ended in a riot when both men were jailed. Both served ten monthshard labour .Three years later Paddock challenged both
Harry Broome and Bill Perry to aHeavyweight Championship of England bout but both turned it down. Paddock then claimed himself as the Heavyweight Champion of England by default, though this wasn't generally recognised until 1856 following fifty one rounds in the ring against Harry Broome inManningtree . [ [http://www.famous-fights.com/2007/08/broome-versus-paddock.html Boxing championship fight at famous-fights.com] ] However his victory was short lived; he lost the title later the same year to Bill Perry. He attempted to regain the title twice but never actually managed it.Paddock's last fight took place in 1860. He died of
heart disease on 30th June 1863 inMarylebone . [ [http://www.freebmd.org.uk/ FreeBMD] ]References
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