William Thompson (boxer)

William Adendnegro Thompson (1811-1880) was triplet. He was an English bare-knuckle boxer who won the heavy weight championship of England from James Burke on 12th February 1839. a
As a boxer he was credited with introducing the Southpaw stance. He had 2 nicknames Bendigo and Bendego.

On 6th June 1850 he fought and beat Tom Paddock, it was his last fight. He was arrested for drunkenness and fined 5 shillings. He won 19/20 of his bare-knuckle fights

In 1870 he saved 3 people from drowning.

In 1872 he attended a congregation held by preacher Richard Weaver. He was illiterate but delivered a strong and convincing sermon. When preaching he would take up his boxer’s stance. He would point to his trophies and say
See them belts? See them cups? I used to fight for those, but now I fight for Christ.

His popularity as a boxer brought enormous crowds to his sermons with scores left outside. He spent the next few years touring the country preaching to crowds of 1000s, becoming more popular. Some noted that although he couldn’t read the Bible his straightforward manly speech could be useful

Aged 68 he fell down the stairs fracturing a rib and puncturing a lung. He died seven weeks later on 23rd August 1880

1000s lined the street for his funeral procession and The Times of London published his obituary. His tomb, with a crouching lion, at the burial grounds at Bath Street Rest Gardens, near Victoria Leisure Centre bears this inscription.
In life always brave,
Fighting like a lion
In death like a lamb,
Tranquil in Zion.

Source used
Wikipedia