Before boxing reached the United States, many blacks were already involved in the sport of boxing. These blacks were not African-Americans they were the blacks that lived in Europe during the British Empire. Not only were blacks boxing, but also their matches were being covered in local papers.

"Yesterday afternoon a most desperate battle was fought in the Ring, in Hyde Park, between a butcher's apprentice of St. James Market, and a black stripling, who was lately a servant to the celebrated Mr. Katterselto, which lasted upwards three quarters of an hour, during which time the success of the combatants was as dubious as it was obstinate. The honorable Mr. Booth by

happening to pass the time, the crowd took his attention time enough to see a sufficiency of the conflict, to prove to him, that the parties were obstinately beat on each side not to yield. Struck with the ferocious obstinacy, he stepped into the ring, parted the lads, and gave them a guinea each to make up the quarrel. The Black, though he bears the character of meekness and sobriety, has been unfortunate enough to have been obliged to fight no less than five scuffling battles within this week, all with young men of superior strength and proven victorious."

The one reason many blacks boxed was for the money, because of this fact there were also white boxers that were involved in the sport. The most favored boxing bouts in America were those fights of black boxers against white boxers. Because these contests did not happen but every so often when this event was planned, these fights brought in the most money and most publicity. These matches gave way to terms as "the great white hope."

Boxing somewhat lifted the burden of racism outside the ring. In their time (the 1890's), they faced different barriers because although they were black, they were wealthy (by many standards). Their hardships were very different from the poorer everyday black man and woman because their money and stature often times allowed them some kind of comfort and racial cushion. Not to mislead however, they were still black men at a time when being a black man meant that you were little better then third class.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Battle Royal, James Market, British Empire, , Conan Doyle, Britain African-Americans, Colored Kings, Bllomfield British, African Americans, Hyde Park, british empire, sport boxing, white boxers, boxing introduced, officially recognized, black white, black boxer, color bar, mixed match, involved sport,
Approximate Word count = 1017
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)