The author trusts he may claim, without laying himself open to a charge of egotism, exceptional qualifications for the task he has undertaken. His acquaintance with the doings of the Ring, and his personal knowledge of the most eminent professors of pugilism, extend over a retrospect of more than forty years. For a considerable portion of that period he was the reporter of its various incidents in _Bell’s Life in London_, in the _Morning Advertiser_, and various periodical publications which, during the better days of its career, gave a portion of their space to chronicle its doings. That the misconduct of its members, the degeneracy and dishonesty of its followers led to the deserved extinction of the Ring, he is free to admit: still, as a septuagenarian, he desires to preserve the memory of many brave and honourable deeds which the reader will here find recorded. A few lines will suffice to elucidate the plan of the work. Having decided that its most readable form would be that of a series of biographies of the principal boxers, in chronological order, so far as practicable, it was found convenient to group them in “Periods;” as each notable champion will be seen to have visibly impressed his style and characteristics on the period in which he and his imitators, antagonists or, as we may call it, “school” flourished in popular favour and success. A glance at the “Lives of the Boxers” thus thrown into groups will explain this arrangement:— VOLUME I. PERIOD I.—1719 to 1791.—From the Championship of Fig to the first appearance of Daniel Mendoza. PERIOD II.—1784 to 1798.—From Daniel Mendoza to the first battle of James Belcher. PERIOD III.—1798 to 1809.—From the Championship of Belcher to the appearance of Tom Cribb. PERIOD IV.—1805 to 1820.—From Cribb’s first battle to the Championship of Tom Spring. ⁂ To each period there is an Appendix containing notices and sketches of the minor professors of the ars pugnandi and of the light-weight boxers of the day. VOLUME II. PERIOD V.—1820 to 1824.—From the Championship of Spring to his retirement from the Ring. PERIOD VI.—1825 to 1835.—From the Championship of Jem Ward to the appearance of Bendigo (William Thompson) of Nottingham. VOLUME III. PERIOD VII.—1835 to 1845.—From the appearance of Bendigo to his last battle with Caunt. PERIOD VIII.—1845 to 1857.—The interregnum. Bill Perry (the Tipton Slasher), Harry Broome, Tom Paddock, &c. PERIOD IX.—1856 to 1863.—From the appearance of Tom Sayers to the last Championship battle of King and Heenan, December, 1863.