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The Rest Is HistoryAug 20, 2025

593. The Fight of the Century

Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for 593. The Fight of the Century with Robert Colls on The Rest Is History.

Guest

Robert Colls

Books mentioned

This Sporting Life, Sport and Liberty in England 1760 to 1960 this sporting life Henan and Sayers

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In 593. The Fight of the Century, Robert Colls and the hosts mention This Sporting Life, Sport and Liberty in England 1760 to 1960 by Robert Coles, this sporting life by Rob, and Henan and Sayers by Mrs. Elwood Nickerson with timestamps, quotes, and episode context.

This Sporting Life, Sport and Liberty in England 1760 to 1960 this sporting life Henan and Sayers

3 books from this episode

This Sporting Life, Sport and Liberty in England 1760 to 1960

Robert Coles

He is Professor Robert Coles, Emeritus Professor at De Montfort University and author of the brilliant book, This Sporting Life, Sport and Liberty in…

this sporting life

Rob

It's about sport above all, isn't it?

Henan and Sayers

Mrs. Elwood Nickerson

It's a poem called Henan and Sayers, and it was by Mrs. Elwood Nickerson, written in about, we don't know, about 1860, 61, in New England.

Guest: Robert Colls

Episode summary

Why did two men - John Heenan and and Tom Sayers - illegally meet in a field in Hampshire, in 1860, to brutally fight one another, captivating Britain in the process? What can the fight tell us about the nature of Britishness in the 19th century? Was this the birth of boxing? Who won the infamous boxing match? And, how did the fight change the course of British sport, forever? In this week’s episode, Tom and Dominic are joined by Professor Robert Colls, to discuss one of the most legendary clashes in English history… Visit ⁠https://www.store.steampowered.com⁠ and search for ‘Total War Rome’ to buy now. Go to fuseenergy.com/history to switch your energy to Fuse and get £20 credit. Join The Rest Is History Club: Unlock the full experience of the show – with exclusive bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to every series and live show tickets, a members-only newsletter, discounted books from the show, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at therestishistory.com For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Producer: Theo Young-Smith Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett + Aaliyah Akude

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This Sporting Life, Sport and Liberty in England 1760 to 1960

Robert Coles

The host mentions Robert Coles' book to provide a deeper understanding of the historical significance of the boxing m…

Card

this sporting life

Rob

The host mentions 'This Sporting Life' to provide a scholarly perspective on the historical significance of the boxin…

Card

Henan and Sayers

Mrs. Elwood Nickerson

The host mentions 'Henan and Sayers' to explore the cultural significance of the historic boxing match between Tom Sa…

Card

Book mentions3

Media mentions1

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What is 593. The Fight of the Century about?

Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for 593. The Fight of the Century with Robert Colls on The Rest Is History.

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What are the main takeaways from 593. The Fight of the Century?

These are the strongest takeaways surfaced by the transcript, summary copy, and linked mentions for 593. The Fight of the Century.

The conversation centers on boxing history and culture.
A second recurring theme is boxing match history.
Referenced books include This Sporting Life, Sport and Liberty in England 1760 to 1960 by Robert Coles and this sporting life by Rob.
The strongest audience signal points to Historians and sports enthusiasts and Readers interested in sports history and cultural studies.

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Which books are mentioned in 593. The Fight of the Century?

This Sporting Life, Sport and Liberty in England 1760 to 1960 by Robert Coles, this sporting life by Rob, and Henan and Sayers by Mrs. Elwood Nickerson are the clearest linked books in this episode, each tied back to transcript timestamps and quote cards.

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593. The Fight of the Century keeps attracting summary-style searches because this page combines episode context, transcript quotes, book references, and direct jump links back into the audio.

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Topic and sentiment signals

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Top triggers

boxing history and culture(2)boxing match history(1)

Mention sentiment

Deep Dive(3)

Audience signals

Historians and sports enthusiastsReaders interested in sports history and cultural studiesListeners interested in sports history and cultural analysis

Books Mentioned

The full list below is ranked by how useful each mention is to a listener: stronger recommendation language, clearer quote context, and better timestamp support rise first.

This Sporting Life, Sport and Liberty in England 1760 to 1960

Robert Coles

Best for Historians and sports enthusiastsOften cited around boxing history and culture

“Professor Robert Coles discusses his book which features a chapter about the fight between Tom Sayers and John Heenan, highlighting its significance in sports history.”

View mention details

Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: boxing history and culture

For: Historians and sports enthusiasts

Key quote: “He is Professor Robert Coles, Emeritus Professor at De Montfort University and author of the brilliant book, This Sporting Life, Sport and Liberty in England 1760 to 1960, in which this fight plays a kind of lead role as a whole chapter about this fight.”

The host mentions Robert Coles' book to provide a deeper understanding of the historical significance of the boxing match between Tom Sayers and John Heenan. This fight serves as a focal point for discussing broader themes of sport, British identity, and societal changes over time.

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this sporting life

Rob

Best for Readers interested in sports history and cultural studiesOften cited around boxing history and culture

“Your book is this sporting life sports and liberty in England 1760 to 1960 and I cannot recommend it too highly it is a wonderful wonderful read.”

View mention details

Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: boxing history and culture

For: Readers interested in sports history and cultural studies

Key quote: “It's about sport above all, isn't it?”

The host mentions 'This Sporting Life' to provide a scholarly perspective on the historical significance of the boxing match between Tom Sayers and John Heenan. The book offers a detailed examination of sport's role in British culture, particularly how it reflects societal values and changes over time.

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Check price

Henan and Sayers

Mrs. Elwood Nickerson

Best for Listeners interested in sports history and cultural analysisOften cited around boxing match history

“A poem celebrating the fight of the century between Tom Sayers and John Henan, written around 1860.”

View mention details

Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: boxing match history

For: Listeners interested in sports history and cultural analysis

Key quote: “It's a poem called Henan and Sayers, and it was by Mrs. Elwood Nickerson, written in about, we don't know, about 1860, 61, in New England.”

The host mentions 'Henan and Sayers' to explore the cultural significance of the historic boxing match between Tom Sayers and John Henan. This poem serves as a lens to discuss broader themes of sport and British identity.

Amazon search results · affiliate link

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This Sporting Life, Sport and Liberty in England 1760 to 1960

The Rest Is History · 5:14

He is Professor Robert Coles, Emeritus Professor at De Montfort University and author of the brilliant book, This Sporting Life, Sport and Liberty in…

this sporting life

The Rest Is History · 56:40

It's about sport above all, isn't it?

Henan and Sayers

The Rest Is History · 3:17

It's a poem called Henan and Sayers, and it was by Mrs. Elwood Nickerson, written in about, we don't know, about 1860, 61, in New England.

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