Pedlar Palmer

Pedlar Palmer, born Thomas Palmer, (1876 – 13 February 1949) was an English boxer who held the world bantamweight championship from 1895 to 1899.

Life Palmer was born in Canning Town, London on 19 November 1876. His father was a bare-knuckle champion of Essex, and rumour had it that his mother could take on and beat any woman in London's East End. As a boxer, Palmer soon gained the nickname "Box o' Tricks", reflecting his showmanship - he and his brother had taken part in a stage act as children and Palmer utilised some of the things he had learned on stage in the boxing ring.

In 1893, Palmer won bouts advertised as the "World 100lb" title against Walter Croot and Mike Small, and became World Bantamweight Champion in 1895 when he beat Billy Plimmer of Birmingham on a 14th round foul. He boxed a draw with the World Featherweight Champion George Dixon in New York in 1896. He kept his bantamweight title through five defences against Johnny Murphy, Ernie Stanton. Dave Sullivan, Billy Plimmer, and Billy Rochford.

Palmer met Irish-born American boxer Dave Sullivan in London on 18 October 1897 in what was billed as a World 116 pound Title Match. It would be Sullivan's first loss according to most sources. Sullivan failed to receive the twenty round points decision, but established himself as the primary contender for the World Featherweight Title. On his release he boxed again, but never enjoyed his earlier levels of success. For the last 20 years of his life he was a bookmaker in Brighton, where he died on 13 February 1949, aged 72. He is buried on the western edge of Brighton; the gravestone no longer stands.

Professional boxing record