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Bartley Gorman was an Irish Traveller who was the undefeated champion at Bare-knuckle boxing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Between the years of 1972 and 1992 he held the title of Bareknuckle Champion of Great Britain & Ireland, often simply called the King of the Gypsies. He was the most famous bareknuckle boxer of recent times, in Britain if not the World.

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After a drinking session in Coventry, Bartley was challenged to take on Blond Simey, one of two top fighters in the vast Irish clan of travellers, the Dochertys. He arrived at the old building site where the Irish clan were staying, tore off his shirt and fought off two dogs which were set on him. When it became clear his opponent wasn't there, he overturned a car in anger and made off.

He was almost killed by a mob near Doncaster Racecourse on St Leger Day in 1976. He had turned up expecting to fight a challenger to his title and gypsy crown, but arrived to find an armed mob, who he was later told had been paid £25,000 to attack him. It took Bartley more than a year to regain his fitness, and he bore scars for the rest of his life.

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