Standing at 6ft 2in and weighing in at a ground-shaking 18 stone, bare-knuckle bruiser Benjamin Caunt was known as 'Big Ben'.
Such was his prowess that fighter after fighter put up to challenge him in the 1830s and 40s was beaten.
But it wasn't just pugilists who suffered at the hands of the London champion... pigeons did too.
A firearm that 'Big Ben' Caunt used to shoot the live birds from the air for sport is due to go under the hammer.
This 19th century six-bore double barrelled sporting gun belonged to bare-knuckle boxer Benjamin 'Big Ben' Caunt. It is thought to have been used by him in live pigeon matches, a forerunner to clay pigeon shooting. A silver plaque on it is engraved with the words 'Benjamin Caunt, Champion of England'
Bruiser Benjamin Caunt stood 6ft 2in, weighed in at 18 stone, and was such a formidable opponent that fighter after fighter put up to challenge him in the 1830s and 40s was beaten
It is even said that Big Ben, the bell in the Houses of Parliament clock tower, was named after him, as he was a favourite with MPs who would go and see him fight.
Now, a North Yorkshire collector is putting his gun up for auction and it is expected to fetch between £5,000 and £7,000.
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Nick Holt, of Holt's Auctioneers which is selling the piece, said: 'Benjamin Caunt was a Londoner and he was 6ft 2in and 18 stone.
'As you can imagine, he was an absolute giant. [The average male height of the day was 5ft 7in]
'He was a bare-knuckle fighter and he made a great deal of money doing this.
A North Yorkshire collector is putting the gun up for auction. It is expected to fetch between £5,000 and £7,000
BIG BEN... BIG NAME MYSTERY
Big Ben is the name of the Great Bell of the famous clock tower at the palace of Westminster in London, which was designed by architect Charles Barry.
The bell was hoisted into place in 1858.
Over the years, the source of the nickname has been widely debated with one theory being that it was named after the bare-knuckle champion.
There is another school of thought that holds it was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the overweight commissioner of works who supervised the installation of the bell.
An MP is said to have shouted: 'Why not call it Big Ben?' during a parliamentary debate but his thoughts have not been officially recorded.
To mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the clock tower was officially named Elizabeth Tower.
'His nickname was "Big Ben" and it's thought [the bell] Big Ben was named after him.
'This was a special gun because it was owned and used by him.'
The piece going to auction is a mid-19th century six-bore double-barrelled percussion sporting gun, and is thought to have been used by him in live pigeon matches, a forerunner to clay pigeon shooting.
A silver plaque on it is engraved with the words 'Benjamin Caunt, Champion of England'.
Before the introduction of Marquis of Queensberry Rules in 1867, fights could last for more that two hours - with rounds lasting as long as the opponents were able to stay on their feet.
'Big Ben' was heavyweight champion of England from 1838 and 1845, though he lost his title briefly in 1841 to Nick Ward but won it back the same year.
The fighter won his title in 1838 from William 'Bendigo' Thompson in a contest lasting more than 70 rounds.
In 1845, he relinquished his title to Thompson after a 96-round fight with a controversial verdict given by the referee, when it was alleged that Caunt went down without a blow striking him.
He denied this but announced his retirement, only to return for a final attempt at the heavyweight crown 12 years later.
His final fight was declared a draw when, after 60 rounds, Caunt and his opponent were too exhausted to continue.
Following his retirement from the ring, Caunt became a publican in London and also worked as a fight promoter.
He died at the age of 46 in 1861, in London, reportedly from a cold caught at a live pigeon match and was buried in his home village of Hucknell, Nottinghamshire.
The gun will be auctioned by Holt's in London on June 20.
Before the introduction of Marquis of Queensberry Rules in 1867, fights could last for more that two hours - with rounds lasting as long as the opponents could stay on their feet. Above, a fight from the early 19th century
Ben Caunt's memorial in the churchyard of St Mary Magdalene in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. He died at the age of 46 in 1861, in London, reportedly from a cold caught at a live pigeon match
Who's calling the shots? Maggie. 'Thatcher' gun for sale
Big Ben's gun is up for sale alongside a gun engraved with a portrait of the late Baroness Thatcher.
Owned by a miner turned businessman, it is expected to raise between £30,000 and £50,000.
The 20-bore single trigger, sidelock ejector gun was completed in 1990.
The seller of this gun - engraved with a portrait of the late Baroness Thatcher - is a miner turned businessman
At the age of 18, the seller worked at the Littleton Colliery in Staffordshire.
He left after a year and became a successful businessman and had the engraving of the former PM etched on to his gun - not because of his mining past but because he believed her policies had helped him flourish.
'In recognition of the economic climate that had enabled him to flourish, the vendor had a vignette of Baroness Thatcher engraved on the underside of the action, entrusting the task to Marcus Hunt.
'Ironically, the day the gun passed into his hands was the day that Lady Thatcher (as she was then) resigned as leader of the party following intense pressure form her peers,' said a Holt's spokesman.
The gun, completed in 1990, is expected to raise between £30,000 and £50,000 at auction