Nottingham boxing legend Bendigo to be honoured with city centre bronze statue

Nottingham bare knuckle boxing legend Bendigo is to be honoured with a new city centre statue. 

Following an eight-year campaign by the Bendigo Heritage Project, the former bare knuckle boxing champion will be immortalised by a new bronze statue. 

The group, which has held guided walking tours in Nottingham since 2016, was recently contacted by a private benefactor who committed to funding a statue of Bendigo.

Award-winning sculptor Andy Edwards has been chosen as the person responsible for creating the statue. 

Edwards is considered one of the finest sculptures of his generation and has previously completed works of The Beatles, Sir Alex Ferguson and Bob Marley. 

Born William Abednego Thompson in Trinity Walk some 213 years ago, Bendigo was one of 21 children and grew up in poverty. 

He became a professional boxer at the age of 21 and only lost one fight during his career. 

Bendigo died on August 23, 1880, after falling down the stairs of his Beeston home. 

He is buried at the St Mary’s Rest Garden in Bath Street. 

Alan Dawson, trustee of the Bendigo Heritage Project, said: “We have worked hard to make Bendigo accessible to future generations. 

“Much of his physical legacy has gone, but his name lives on. Nottingham is a very different place, compared to the harsh reality of life in the overcrowded slums of the town two hundred years ago.

“Bendigo is a unique name for a unique man who has featured in books, films and theatre. He is still talked about and written about. 

“There was even a children’s book published in Australia recently. It is called Go Bendy Go – The Boy Who Liked To Box. His name just refuses to go away.”