author

Henry Downes Miles

1806–1889

Best known for "Pugilistica," he helped preserve the early history of British boxing in vivid detail. His work remains a useful window into nineteenth-century sporting life.

3 Audiobooks

Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 1 (of 3)

Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 1 (of 3)

by Henry Downes Miles

Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 2 (of 3)

Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 2 (of 3)

by Henry Downes Miles

Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 3 (of 3)

Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 3 (of 3)

by Henry Downes Miles

About the author

An English writer and historian, Henry Downes Miles is best remembered for Pugilistica, a three-volume history of British boxing first published in 1880. The work gathers accounts of major fighters and prizefights, and it is the book most closely associated with his name.

The available public-domain author records confirm his lifespan as 1806 to 1889 and list Pugilistica as his principal work. Because reliable biographical detail is sparse in the sources I could confirm here, it is safest to describe him as a nineteenth-century author whose lasting reputation rests on documenting the sport and personalities of early British prizefighting.