JAMES ‘JEM’ MACE

The Swatham Gypsey

April 8, 1831 – November 30, 1910

Jem Mace is often called the father of modern boxing. Born in Norfolk, England, ‘Gypsy’ Jem Mace gave up a career as a cabinet-maker in order to pursue a career in the prize ring. From a financial (and historical) standpoint, it proved a sound decision. From his first fight as an 18-year-old in 1849 to his final exhibition at the age of 74, Mace engaged in a number of championship bouts, winning the English middleweight title in 1960 (from Bob Brettle), the heavyweight title a year later (against Sam Hurst), and the heavyweight championship of England and America in 1870; beating Tom Allen in 10 rounds.

Although a championship boxer of world-class, Mace’s greatest influence upon the sport was his global popularization of the sweet science. For many decades the ‘Gypsy’ travelled the world teaching boxing and conducting tournaments; it is his contribution in this field which gained him induction to the New Zealand Boxing Hall-Of-Fame.

Mace was already known internationally when he first arrived in the Antipodes in March 1877. A handsome, athletic man at around 5’9’’ and 12 stone (or 175cm and 76kg in new money) Mace began his Australian engagement posing for illustrations and giving fencing exhibitions at the Sydney School of Art for several days prior to embarking on a series of exhibitions in New South Wales and Victoria. Following a successful boxing tour (totalling close to 40 exhibitions) Mace opened a school with Larry Folley and the pair toured Australia for five years.

On 7 March 1882, Mace arrived in Auckland onboard the SS Rotorua; giving the first exhibition of his scientific style opposite Fred Edmonds (25 March). During a nine-month tour, Mace would box against the aforementioned Edmonds, H.A. Keesing, R. Davis, Barney Donovan, and ‘Professor’ William Miller (an Australian champion born in Liscard, Cheshire).

Following on from 15 exhibitions in Auckland, Mace (and to a large extent Miller), also showed four times in Thames, nine times in Wellington, six in Christchurch, twice in Temuka, four in Timaru, twice in Omaru, and 13 times in Dunedin before working their way back up the country for a similar number of engagements.

In Timaru Mace discovered Bob Fitzsimmons and in Dunedin, he hooked up with Herbert Slade (often referred to as ‘The Maori’). Slade became a part of the Mace troupe; boxing exhibitions with Professor Miller. After completing his tour of New Zealand, Mace took the imposing-looking Slade to America (8 December 1882) where he would chase a title fight with ‘The Great’ John L. Sullivan – but that’s another story.

Mace continued to tour the USA, the UK, and South Africa boxing exhibitions and amassed a vast amount of money. Some estimates have his earnings from boxing at over 250,000 pounds (GBP) – in excess of 30 million (GBP) in 2020. Not bad for a rural cabinet-maker. He died aged 79 while on tour with his troupe in the northeast of England and is buried in Anfield Cemetery, Liverpool.

H.O.  2020