Bare-knuckle boxing is one of the oldest and most raw forms of combat known to man. Long before gloved prize fighting and pay-per-view showdowns, men settled scores and tested their mettle with nothing but their fists and a patch of ground. But far from being a relic of the past, bare-knuckle boxing has been reborn—and one man who stood at the forefront of its modern revival was Yorkshire’s own Dave Radford.
From Tradition to Taboo
In 18th and 19th-century Britain, bare-knuckle fights were massive spectacles. Crowds gathered in fields, inns, and back alleys to watch fighters like Tom Molineaux and Jack Broughton trade blows in brutal, often hours-long battles. There were no gloves, no rounds as we know them today, and certainly no doctors waiting in the wings. It was raw, dangerous, and often outlawed.
By the late 1800s, the Queensberry Rules introduced gloves and more regulation, effectively pushing bare-knuckle boxing underground. For over a century, it existed in whispers—on travellers’ sites, in car parks, or between those with a grudge to settle. It never truly died, but it certainly went into hiding.
A New Era Begins
That all started to change in the early 2000s. A handful of people began to see bare-knuckle not as a criminal relic, but as a traditional sport worth reviving—safely, legally, and with respect for its deep roots. One of the key figures in that movement was promoter Andy Topliff, who began organising structured, refereed bare-knuckle bouts in the UK.
And standing in the ring for some of those early shows? Dave Radford.
Dave, already a seasoned gloved boxer and tough-as-nails fighter from Hemsworth, West Yorkshire, became one of the first to step into the ring as bare-knuckle boxing re-entered the public eye. He wasn’t just there for the spectacle—he was there to fight, to represent the old-school spirit, and to help bring the sport back with dignity and discipline.
Dave Radford: A Pioneer in the Revival
Dave’s involvement in the sport came at a time when bare-knuckle was still misunderstood and often frowned upon. But he fought with heart and honour, proving that this wasn’t about mindless violence—it was about skill, courage, and the legacy of a fighting tradition that had been ignored for too long.
Under Andy Topliff’s vision, fighters like Dave were given a platform to show what bare-knuckle boxing could be. The matches were tough, the respect was real, and slowly, the public started to take notice. Dave quickly earned a name for himself—not just as a hard-hitting brawler, but as a symbol of the sport’s rebirth.
His fights became legendary among early fans of the revival scene, and his role in legitimising the sport cannot be overstated. Fighters today competing in televised bare-knuckle events owe a lot to the likes of Dave Radford, who put their bodies on the line before there were big paydays or polished promotions.
From Grassroots to Global
Since those early days, bare-knuckle boxing has exploded in popularity. With the rise of professional organisations like BKB™ in the UK and BKFC in the US, the sport is now regulated, televised, and attracting fighters from boxing, MMA, and beyond.
What began as an underground movement led by passionate pioneers has become a legitimate sport in its own right. But its heart remains the same—real fights, real grit, and no room for pretenders.
And Dave Radford? He’s still part of the story.
Preserving the Legacy
Dave’s journey and his role in the revival of bare-knuckle boxing are now being documented by Newmount Films, who’ve captured his life, his fights, and his legacy in a powerful documentary now available to watch on Amazon Prime. It’s a look not just at one man’s battles, but at the rebirth of a sport that refuses to be forgotten.
