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When was the first formally recorded boxing bout in Britain held?
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boxing
Manny Pacquiao (right) and Floyd Mayweather, Jr., in their 2015 welterweight bout; Mayweather won in a unanimous decision.
The first formally recorded boxing bout in Britain took place in 1681.1
Following this, the sport grew in popularity, with regular pugilistic contests being held in London's Royal Theatre by 1698. These early matches were conducted during the bare-knuckle era, a period characterized by a lack of formal rules, weight divisions, or protective equipment. It was not until 1743 that Jack Broughton, often called the "Father of Boxing," introduced the first set of formal regulations to improve the safety and structure of the sport.1