William Perry (boxer)

William Perry (1819–1880), known as "The Tipton Slasher" was a British heavyweight prize fighter of the 19th century and champion of England, 1850–57.

Perry was born in Park Lane, Tipton (then in Staffordshire, now West Midlands) of canal narrowboat parents Timothy and Sarah Perry, the third of five children, and baptized at St Martin's, Tipton on 1 August 1819.

He married Ann Maria Challingworth on 11 June 1851 and had a son in 1854. He ran a beer house in Spon Lane.

After losing the title Champion of England in 1857 he became landlord of the Bricklayer's Arms, Walsall Road, Wolverhampton.

He died at home in Bilston of alcoholism and pulmonary congestion on 24 December 1880 and was buried at St John's Church, Dudley.

A bronze statue by Bill Haynes stands in the Coronation Gardens, Tipton, yards away from the Fountain Inn public house, which was once his headquarters. The statue was unveiled on 3 May 1993. His remains were removed from St John's Churchyard and placed in the footings for the statue.

The Fountain Inn received Grade II listed building status in 1984 on recognition of its association with Perry, who regularly fought fellow boatmen on the many local canals in order to be first through the lockgates.

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