On this day 17 April in 1860: The first boxing world title fight took place near Farnborough, Hampshire, when Tom Sayers took on American John Heenan. After 37 rounds – two hours and 27 minutes – the match was declared a draw.

HEENAN AND SAYERS from Mainly Norfolk

You ranting lads and sporting blades, come listen to my song.
I'm sure that it will please you well and it won't detain you long.
't was the seventeenth of April and thousands went with joy
To see the English champion and the bold Benicia Boy.

This story of the glorious boxing fight between John Carmel Heenan and Tom Sayers was recorded in 1962 by A.L. Lloyd accompanied by Steve Benbow on guitar for the Topic EP Gamblers and Sporting Blades.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISGvLPC35mA Heenan and Sayers

---

Heenan and Sayers - Jon Doran and The Northern Assembly     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY379id2feI
Heenan and Sayers from Mainly Norfolk    https://mainlynorfolk.info/lloyd/songs/heenanandsayers.html#:~:text=The%20fight%20between%20the%20heavyweight,be%20dispersed%20b
Various Ballads about Tom Sayer's from Bodleian Library    http://ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/search/subject/Sayers%2C%20Tom%2C%201826-1865/?query=&f_Subjects=Sayers,%20Tom,%201826-1865&f_S
Happy Land of Caanan, the Sayers and Heenan Version    http://ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/static/images/sheets/10000/07903.gif

John C. Heenan from Wikipedia     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_C._Heenan
Tom Sayers from Wikipedia    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Sayers