The Bare-Knuckle Dynasty: From Bartley Gorman to Tyson Fury
While Tyson Fury stands as a two-time world heavyweight champion with victories over legends like Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder, his fighting pedigree extends far beyond the modern boxing ring. The 6ft 9in colossus shares a remarkable bloodline with Bartley Gorman, the man widely regarded as the greatest modern bare-knuckle boxer and the undisputed King of the Gypsies.
The Most Dangerous Unarmed Man on the Planet
Bartley Gorman, who hailed from Uttoxeter in Staffordshire, carved his reputation through decades of brutal, unregulated combat. The battle-scarred warrior, who passed away from liver cancer in 2002 at age 57, fought in locations as varied as horse fairs, travellers' campsites, and even once down a mineshaft. By his own assessment, he was "the most dangerous unarmed man on the planet".
"I will never fight a normal man," declared the scrapper, who remained unbeaten throughout twenty-five years of relentless warfare, "because I am liable to kill him with one punch." Gorman began his fighting career at just ten years old and claimed the prestigious King of the Gypsies title in 1972 following the death of the previous holder, Uriah Burton.
A Legacy That Extends Beyond the Grave
Such was Gorman's formidable reputation that his influence persisted long after his death. Seven years ago, revelations emerged that Bartley remained a menace from beyond the grave. His nephew, Jerry Gorman, disclosed that his late uncle had placed a powerful curse on thieves who stole his cherished caravan.
"The thieves are cursed," Jerry Gorman stated emphatically. "That caravan will only bring them bad luck. Surely they can't realise who they have stolen from and what this means to the traveller community? If they did, they would have realised it was the worst mistake of their lives."
Connections to Boxing Royalty
Gorman's extraordinary life represents a world far removed from the controlled, regulated violence that has earned Tyson Fury his fortune and fame. Yet Fury remains acutely aware of his ancestor's legacy, with footage available on YouTube showing the heavyweight champion paying tribute to the bare-knuckle legend.
Perhaps most intriguingly, it is alleged that the Gypsy King secretly sparred with none other than Muhammad Ali when The Greatest visited Birmingham in 1983. Gorman was certainly a devoted Ali fan who modelled his fighting style on the heavyweight icon, adding another layer to his remarkable story.
The Making of a Bare-Knuckle Champion
Born in Nottingham in 1944 to a Welsh father and Irish mother, Bartley Gorman V was quite literally born to fight. He explained his heritage simply: "Bartley Gorman III was the champion of North and South Wales. Bartley Gorman IV wasn't a fighter, he was a great lover. Then there's Bartley Gorman V. That's me, champion of the world."
Despite standing 6ft 1in tall and weighing 15 stone – considerably smaller than Fury's 18-stone frame – Gorman regularly knocked out much larger opponents. He moved to Uttoxeter at age twenty, living for a period in the former pit town of Rugeley, though he is best remembered for his time in Uttoxeter where a plaque now commemorates his achievements.
A Violent World from Childhood
Gorman's introduction to violence came tragically early. During a Boxing Day gathering in 1953 at a bar in Exhall, Stratford-on-Avon, the young Bartley witnessed his uncle's death from a single blow delivered by a showman enraged after his drink was spilled.
Although his grandfather and great-grandfather were gypsy boxing champions, his father Samuel was deeply religious and shunned fighting. Samuel initially brought the Gorman clan from Wales to Bedworth for schooling, where they lived in a Warner's Yard travellers plot. Bartley attended St Francis of Assisi Primary School, where he learned both reading and fighting skills that would define his life.
Legendary Fights and Near Defeats
In his autobiography, King of the Gypsies, Bartley chronicled his most challenging contests. He came perilously close to defeat during a 1980 challenge at a Coventry pub, believed to be the old Port O'Call, when he suffered a dislocated shoulder.
Bartley was enjoying a quiet pint when Mexicana Webb – a giant with wild, unkempt hair resembling a busted sofa – threw down the gauntlet. The crowd swiftly cleared tables to create fighting space and warned the landlord against calling the police. Gorman emerged victorious only because Mexicana failed to realise his opponent's shoulder had "popped out" during the brutal exchange.
Retirement and Community Leadership
In 1997, mellowed by age if not entirely softened, Bartley announced his retirement with the declaration: "I'm too intelligent to fight." He transitioned to becoming a public spokesperson for the gypsy community, undertaking numerous projects including establishing a rehabilitation camp for travellers seeking to embrace true Romani traditions.
Gorman even famously invited then Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Prince of Wales to a hedgehog barbecue, though the dinner invitations were ultimately withdrawn after animal rights campaigners criticised the scheme.
Peter Walsh, who assisted Bartley in compiling his book during the final eighteen months of his life, reflected: "He was a unique man, a one-off. He was a lovely man with a wicked sense of humour but a streak of melancholy that never left him."
Tyson Fury may have reached the pinnacle of professional boxing, but the legacy of Bartley Gorman represents a different kind of fighting royalty – one forged in the uncompromising world of bare-knuckle combat that continues to captivate those fascinated by boxing's rawest traditions.
