TOM Spring is one of Herefordshire's best-known sporting heroes.

And now county author Jon Hurley has explored the life and times of one of the boxing legend's greatest influences in a new book on bareknuckle fighter Tom Cribb.

Cribb was a world champion back in the 19th century, and his exploits in the ring are still featured in many early boxing publications.

His battle with the American Tom Molineaux was one of boxing’s first major rivalries and captured public imagination, catapulting the sport from the gutter into the smoking rooms of country houses.

People slept in ditches and dangled from trees to watch the legendary contest between the two men.

But Cribb was also the man who went on to influence Fownhope’s Tom Spring into a career in boxing after meeting him in 1814. Impressed by Spring’s prowess, he persuaded him to move to London to be his protege.

Spring, who was the subject of Hurley's analysis in a previous work Tom Spring: Bareknuckle Champion of All England, went on to become one of the greatest boxers in history, and one of the more scientific pugilists of his day.

He toured the country with Cribb, and when his mentor decided to retire, he presented his heavyweight championship over to Spring in 1821.

In that same year, Cribb, who was responsible for making boxing popular among the upper classes was invited to be a page at the coronation of George IV in 1821.

Cribb went on to be a publican - a career which Spring would also eventually follow him in - and continued to extend his influence to the rich and famous, including Lord Byron.

He had not quite yet finished with the ring, however.

In 1840, when he was in his 60th year, he received a great reception when sparred in an exhibition bout, with Spring also taking part in a similar contest with then champion Ben Caunt on the same bill.

Cribb died on May 11, 1848 and his memorial stands in Woolwich Churchyard.

Just over three years later, Spring also died but he and Cribb had long ensured their places as boxing legends at a key time in the history of the sport.

Hurley’s book “Tom Cribb - The Life of the Black Diamond” , which is thoroughly researched and captures much of the atmosphere of the times, is published by The History Press at £17.99.

Jonathon Rogers